GERMANY: Argentina makes last-minute preparations for second round match with Mexico.

Record ID: 447795

  • Title: GERMANY: Argentina makes last-minute preparations for second round match with Mexico.
  • Date: 23rd June 2006
  • Summary: LEIPZIG, GERMANY (JUNE 23, 3006) (REUTERS) WIDE VIEW OF PLAYERS WALKING OUT ON PITCH PAN ACROSS LEIPZIG'S ZENTRALSTADION PLAYERS TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH OTHER PLAYERS POSING LIONEL MESSI BEING PULLED INTO THE GROUP PAN ACROSS PITCH MESSI TALKING WITH A COACH COACH JOSE PEKERMAN WIDE VIEW OF PLAYERS LEAVING FIELD
  • Embargoed: 8th July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9W314NYNX93WI682195LIGO3E
  • Story Text: The Argentine squad trained behind closed doors on Friday (June 23) as they prepared for their second-round match against Mexico.
    The media were treated to shots of the players checking out the Zentralstadion pitch and taking snapshots of each other for the family album.
    Coach Jose Pekerman goes into the game in Leipzig on Saturday (June 24) knowing he has a solid first-choice defence with equally reliable back-up.
    Making Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola his first-choice strike partnership seems a wise choice even when there is great talent on the bench in Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi.
    In deciding on his team to play the Dutch, Pekerman was mindful of a very short break before the second-round match, leaving him little time to manoeuvre his troops.
    He made several changes in the squad's final Group C match in Frankfurt on Wednesday (June 21), a 0-0 draw which ensured Argentina won the group.
    He rested Crespo and Saviola, allowing Tevez and Messi to start.
    Right back Burdisso came off with the leg injury midway through the first half but Pekerman was pleased to note that his substitute Fabricio Coloccini played as well if not better.
    He might have said the same of playing Gabriel Milito alongside Roberto Ayala in central defence from the start to give Gabriel Heinze a rest and also wipe out his yellow card.
    Milito was one of Argentina's best players, keeping Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy in check throughout the match.
    It is likely that Pekerman will revert to the Crespo-Saviola partnership against Mexico while his midfield should again remain unchanged after he decided against tinkering with it on Wednesday.
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