GERMANY: Argentina gears up for its last first round match after drawing with Netherlands.
Record ID:
447815
GERMANY: Argentina gears up for its last first round match after drawing with Netherlands.
- Title: GERMANY: Argentina gears up for its last first round match after drawing with Netherlands.
- Date: 23rd June 2006
- Summary: WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ROBERTO AYALA SAYING : "We now evaluate how we play the game in the next round, so we have to take care of smaller details because, whatever we do, could decides who wins. Our rivals, in this case Mexico, which will not be easy at all, because the previous games (against Mexico) were not easy for us. We should make sure we know who we have in front of us and we have to take all our weapons and not get lost and don't think ahead of this game and concentrate on our rivals, who are Mexico." WIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LEANDRO CUFRE SAYING: "I think Argentina has the potential to believe in ourselves. If we know that we're ok, the rivalry that we're to take care of doesn't matter , because we know our game." WIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ROBERTO AYALA SAYS (ABOUT LIONEL MESSI) SAYING: "He needed his time to get warm. He was able to show what everybody expects of him. We are very happy with playing. We supported him in every moment , we tried to cover him. We try to make him feel comfortable."
- Embargoed: 8th July 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAAJ3GPWX7D6EBR9LIV7A4XPP55
- 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
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