- Title: Slumping Argentina train for World Cup qualifier against Colombia
- Date: 13th November 2016
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (NOVEMBER 13, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE SOCCER PLAYER, LIONEL MESSI, POSING FOR A PHOTO WITH TEAMMATES MESSI AND TEAMMATE JAVIER MASCHERANO WALKING GENERAL VIEW OF COACH, EDGARDO BAUZA, IN NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA COACH, EDGARDO BAUZA, SAYING: "Well, we have not had any regularity with the game and I think we need to improve it. There were moments in some games where the team played well and we could not sustain so we need the team to improve in terms of production." VARIOUS OF TEAM PRACTICING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA COACH, EDGARDO BAUZA, SAYING: "Obviously, I don't like it. I would like to win and to be good but well, we are in a difficult situation where Argentina has lost local points that hurts us. The reason does not matter but we continue depending on ourselves, that is what is important and I see the group has a lot of desire and a lot of force." VARIOUS OF TEAM PRACTICING
- Embargoed: 28th November 2016 18:38
- Keywords: World Cup qualifier Colombia Edgardo Bauza Lionel Messi
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA00158A2N9B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Slumping Argentina trained on Sunday (November 13) ahead of its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Colombia.
Argentina is struggling after a 3-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Brazil and a fourth game without a win on Thursday (November 10) but coach Edgardo Bauza has promised his misfiring team still have qualification for the 2018 finals in Russia in their own hands.
On Sunday, he specified some of the areas for improvement.
"Well, we have not had any regularity with the game and I think we need to improve it. There were moments in some games where the team played well and we could not sustain so we need the team to improve in terms of production," he said.
He added that he continues to have faith in his team.
"Obviously, I don't like it. I would like to win and to be good but well, we are in a difficult situation where Argentina has lost local points that hurts us. The reason does not matter but we continue depending on ourselves, that is what is important and I see the group has a lot of desire and a lot of force," he said.
Argentina are sixth in the 10-team South American group on 16 points after 11 games, with only the top four automatically qualifying for Russia while the fifth-placed side faces a play-off with the Oceania winners.
Bauza is likely to be heavily scrutinised after recording just one win in his five games.
Argentina have won the World Cup twice and reached the final of their last three major tournaments but not won a senior title since the 1990s.
Their next two games are against Colombia on Tuesday and then next March against Copa America champions Chile, who are fifth on the table on 17 points. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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