ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Argentina to keep up pressure in final World Cup qualifiers

Record ID: 187279

  • Title: ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Argentina to keep up pressure in final World Cup qualifiers
  • Date: 11th October 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (OCTOBER 10, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE PLAYERS TRAINING ON GROUNDS OF ARGENTINE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION EXTERIOR OF CONFERENCE ROOM ARGENTINE COACH ALEJANDRO SABELLA ENTERING CONFERENCE ROOM VARIOUS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ALEJANDRO SABELLA, ARGENTINE COACH, SAYING: "The context in which these two matches are taking place-- besides it being an international game and wearing the Argentine shirt-- after so much time of thinking we would qualify, the team has finally qualified, so the context is different. It's an elimination match and for the responsibility of the group and wearing this shirt, the fact of qualifying gives us extra peace." ARGENTINE PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ALEJANDRO SABELLA, ARGENTINE COACH, SAYING: "If we can win and end up in first place, great, but I think that's not the essential purpose. The essential purpose is to classify for the World Cup and I think we've done that in a very satisfactory way, even more so than how we wrap up the qualifying rounds after these two games." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ALEJANDRO SABELLA, ARGENTINE COACH, SAYING: "Everyone in football can say that Messi is irreplaceable and good. But football is a group game and there's a team, a group that will give it their all to earn three points." SABELLA LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE PLAYERS TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 26th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6MTPFK29NFLD5XHXXYM3PBO5N
  • Story Text: Argentina has vowed not hold back in their final football qualifiers despite having already secured a spot in the World Cup finals as they stepped up training in Buenos Aires on Thursday (October 10) ahead of a qualifying match against Peru.
    The national side secured one of the first invites to the 2014 World Cup, coasting into the FIFA tournament in Brazil after a 5-2 victory over Paraguay last month with two matches to spare, taking the pressure off Argentina in the final month of qualifiers.
    "The context in which these two matches are taking place-- besides it being an international game and wearing the Argentine shirt-- after so much time of thinking we would qualify, the team has finally qualified, so the context is different. It's an elimination match and for the responsibility of the group and wearing this shirt, the fact of qualifying gives us extra peace," said Argentine coach, Alejandro Sabella.
    Earlier this week, Argentina's winger Angel Di Maria told media the side is looking to win the South American group as a reaction to the difficulties they had to qualify under former coach Diego Maradona four years ago for the 2010 finals in South Africa.
    Playing down the challenge, Sabella told media Argentina has already achieved its main goal of getting to Brazil.
    "If we can win and end up in first place, great, but I think that's not the essential purpose. The essential purpose is to classify for the World Cup and I think we've done that in a very satisfactory way, even more so than how we wrap up the qualifying rounds after these two games," he added.
    In the final qualifiers, Sabella will be without Gonzalo Higuain, Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano, normal shoe-ins to his first choice team for their Peru match and their last qualifier away to Uruguay next week.
    With superstar Lionel Messi also reportedly out of action with an injury, the Argentina coach dismissed the high-profile absences.
    "Everyone in football can say that Messi is irreplaceable and good. But football is a group game and there's a team, a group that will give it their all to earn three points," said Sabella.
    Argentina have 29 points from 14 matches, three points more than second-placed Colombia, who need one point from their match with Chile this week to Chile to secure their first ticket to the finals for 16 years.
    Chile have 24 points and Ecuador (22) are in the other two automatic qualifying places with Uruguay, also on 22, in the berth for a playoff with Jordan.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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