GERMANY: Argentina gears up for its last first round match after drawing with Netherlands.

Record ID: 447814

  • Title: GERMANY: Argentina gears up for its last first round match after drawing with Netherlands.
  • Date: 23rd June 2006
  • Summary: LEIPZIG, GERMANY (JUNE 22, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF LEIPZIG ARGENTINA BUS DRIVES IN WIDE SHOT OF TRAINING AREA ARGENTINE TEAM TRAINING WARM-UP ZOOM INTO LIONEL MESSI RUNNING GROUP OF PLAYERS GOALKEEPERS WARMING-UP MEDIA STRETCHING EXERCISES FROM A TEAM PAN ACROSS PLAYERS ENDING IN MESSI SHOT OF COACH JOSE PEKERMAN TALKING TO ONE OF HIS ASSISTANTS RIQUELME AND OTHERS IN CIRCLE COACH SPEAKING WITH MESSI PLAYERS WALKING BACK TO BUS WIDE OF HOTEL WHERE ARGENTINA ARE STAYING
  • Embargoed: 8th July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAO78GSBJ1LRWHJ50G0Z80H8JB
  • Story Text: Veteran defender Roberto Ayala complained on Thursday about the short time Argentina had to prepare for their World Cup second-round match with Mexico on Saturday.
    The teams played their final group games on Wednesday, the Argentines kicking off at 2100 local time (1900 GMT) against Netherlands in Frankfurt.
    "You finish first (in the group), you make an effort and then you don't benefit in the second round," the 33-year-old Ayala told a news conference.
    "We've got to overcome this and be as fresh as possible," added Ayala, who captained his country for the 54th time in his 103rd international in the absence of Juan Pablo Sorin, who was rested against the Dutch.
    Ayala also complained about the state of the pitches in Germany where temperatures have soared above 30 Celsius (86.00F), making grounds dry and hard.
    "Some pitches are not even, there are times when you don't know what studs to wear," he said.
    "I finished the match against Serbia (& Montenegro) with back pains because of the hard pitch. You're playing as if you are on an ice rink."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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