Paraguay name experimental squad for Kirin Cup

ASUNCION, May 13 (Reuters) - Paraguay named an experimental squad on Tuesday without experienced players including strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Oscar Cardozo for this month's Kirin Cup in Japan.

Coach Gerardo Martino chose to rely almost entirely on home-based players for the games against Ivory Coast on May 22 and Japan five days later.

"The intention is to represent Paraguayan football in the best possible way and continue using the chance to watch as many players as possible," the Argentine told reporters.

Paraguay visit France in another friendly on May 31 before World Cup qualifiers next month against Brazil at home and Bolivia away.

Paraguay lead the South American World Cup qualifying group with 10 points from four games after thrashing Ecuador 5-1 and winning 3-0 in Chile.

Their only match this year, however, ended in a 3-0 friendly defeat in South Africa.

Santa Cruz was fourth top-scorer in the English Premier League this season with 19 goals for Blackburn Rovers while Cardozo scored 22 in all competitions for Benfica.

Goalkeepers: Derlis Gomez (Nacional), Horacio Gonzalez (Libertad)

Defenders: Pedro Sarabia (Libertad), Dario Veron (Pumas UNAM), Pedro Benitez (Libertad), Jorge Nunez (Cerro Porteno), Denis Caniza (Cruz Azul, Edgar Balbuena (Libertad)

Midfielders: Edgar Gonzalez (Estudiantes), Victor Caceres (Libertad), Carlos Paredes (Olimpia), Luis Caceres (Cerro Porteno), Sergio Aquino (Libertad), Jorge Britez (Cerro Porteno)

Forwards: Osvaldo Martinez (Libertad), Marcelo Estigarribia (Cerro Porteno), Cristian Bogado (Estudiantes), Dante Lopez (Libertad)

(Reporting by Mariel Cristaldo; Editing by Ed Osmond)