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Johannesburg. Diego Maradona is set
to unleash his trio of goal poachers to get Argentina off to a flying
start against Nigeria in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The two-time world champions boasts a salivating forward line of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain, and coach Maradona is tinkering with pitching in all three in an attacking 3-4-3 formation at Ellis Park.
Between them the dazzling trio netted more than 80 league goals last term for Barcelona, Manchester City and Spain’s Real Madrid, respectively.
Argentine fans’ favorite Tevez said he hoped to “get the chance to show the coach what I can do. We have great players [and I] don’t feel my place is assured.”
The Argentines may have stumbled across the finish line in qualification for South Africa 2010, but Maradona has at his disposal a squad of sumptuous talent in his first World Cup as the head coach.
Maradona, who as the world’s greatest player, inspired Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 1986, will go with a three-man backline enabling him to field a three-man strikeforce.
Marseille centre-half Gabriel Heinze said this week that “Argentina will always go after the game” and not sit tight and be ultra-cautious.
Saturday’s opening Group B game offers Messi, the world’s best player thanks to his sensational club form with Barcelona, the ideal stage to stake an early claim as the star of the tournament.
“Player for player, there is no better national team than ours,” Messi said.
“At this stage I don’t have to prove anything. I’ve come to do things well for me and for my teammates.”
Heinze moved to ease the enormous burden of expectations on Messi to perform, saying that Argentina is not dependent on the diminutive playmaker.
Argentina has beaten Nigeria twice at the World Cup – 1-0 in 2002 and 2-1 in 1994 – and will be favoured to do so again.
The mood inside Africa’s most populous nation is not overly optimistic about the Super Eagles’ chances against Argentina.
But their Portsmouth striker Nwankwo Kanu holds out hope that Nigeria will not be intimidated in what will be its first competitive game under Swedish coach Lars Lagerback.
“Argentina has the big-name players and everyone respects them. We also acknowledge that they are good and great players,” he said.
“But Argentina also has the same respect for us because it knows the quality of our team and knows that there is plenty that we can come up with at anytime.”
All the same the pressure will be on Argentina to come through its opening match in South Africa with a win to set a platform for a crack at a third world title.
South Korea and Greece, two teams with their best results of the decade well behind them, meet in Group B’s other match.
South Korea was a surprise semifinalist in 2002 when it co-hosted the World Cup with Japan, while Greece won the 2004 European Championship.
Neither has gone near those highs since, but both have a realistic chance of advancing from the group.
However, Greece’s chances against South Korea on Saturday won’t be helped by news that center back Vangelis Moras will sit out the match despite having recovered from a persistent groin injury.
Moras is getting daily physiotherapy in a bid to overcome the nagging injury. Tests showed he was recovered, but he said it is too early for a World Cup match.
“I don’t want to risk it,” Moras said. “I want to be fit for Nigeria.”
AFP, AP /the jakartaglobe
The two-time world champions boasts a salivating forward line of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain, and coach Maradona is tinkering with pitching in all three in an attacking 3-4-3 formation at Ellis Park.
Between them the dazzling trio netted more than 80 league goals last term for Barcelona, Manchester City and Spain’s Real Madrid, respectively.
Argentine fans’ favorite Tevez said he hoped to “get the chance to show the coach what I can do. We have great players [and I] don’t feel my place is assured.”
The Argentines may have stumbled across the finish line in qualification for South Africa 2010, but Maradona has at his disposal a squad of sumptuous talent in his first World Cup as the head coach.
Maradona, who as the world’s greatest player, inspired Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 1986, will go with a three-man backline enabling him to field a three-man strikeforce.
Marseille centre-half Gabriel Heinze said this week that “Argentina will always go after the game” and not sit tight and be ultra-cautious.
Saturday’s opening Group B game offers Messi, the world’s best player thanks to his sensational club form with Barcelona, the ideal stage to stake an early claim as the star of the tournament.
“Player for player, there is no better national team than ours,” Messi said.
“At this stage I don’t have to prove anything. I’ve come to do things well for me and for my teammates.”
Heinze moved to ease the enormous burden of expectations on Messi to perform, saying that Argentina is not dependent on the diminutive playmaker.
Argentina has beaten Nigeria twice at the World Cup – 1-0 in 2002 and 2-1 in 1994 – and will be favoured to do so again.
The mood inside Africa’s most populous nation is not overly optimistic about the Super Eagles’ chances against Argentina.
But their Portsmouth striker Nwankwo Kanu holds out hope that Nigeria will not be intimidated in what will be its first competitive game under Swedish coach Lars Lagerback.
“Argentina has the big-name players and everyone respects them. We also acknowledge that they are good and great players,” he said.
“But Argentina also has the same respect for us because it knows the quality of our team and knows that there is plenty that we can come up with at anytime.”
All the same the pressure will be on Argentina to come through its opening match in South Africa with a win to set a platform for a crack at a third world title.
South Korea and Greece, two teams with their best results of the decade well behind them, meet in Group B’s other match.
South Korea was a surprise semifinalist in 2002 when it co-hosted the World Cup with Japan, while Greece won the 2004 European Championship.
Neither has gone near those highs since, but both have a realistic chance of advancing from the group.
However, Greece’s chances against South Korea on Saturday won’t be helped by news that center back Vangelis Moras will sit out the match despite having recovered from a persistent groin injury.
Moras is getting daily physiotherapy in a bid to overcome the nagging injury. Tests showed he was recovered, but he said it is too early for a World Cup match.
“I don’t want to risk it,” Moras said. “I want to be fit for Nigeria.”
AFP, AP /the jakartaglobe
