The Hindu : Sport / Football : Fierce rivalry resumes on an unfamiliar territory

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Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

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Fierce rivalry resumes on an unfamiliar territory

FRANKFURT: Brazil expects Adriano to recover in time for Wednesday's Confederations Cup final against Argentina when one of the fiercest rivalries in world soccer resumes on unfamiliar territory.

Adriano, who scored twice in Brazil's 3-2 semifinal win over host Germany on Saturday, limped out of Sunday's training with an ankle injury but the team doctor said he should be fit.

Brazil, the five times World Cup winner, and Argentina, twice former world champion, will be playing their 40th competitive match — and their fourth in Europe.

Argentina should be clear favourites after beating Brazil 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier as recently as June 8 but Brazil beat Argentina a year ago to win the Copa America, albeit with a penalty shoot-out victory in the final.

If Brazil wins this time it will become only the second country after France to hold three senior FIFA titles at the same time: the World Cup, their continental crown and the Confederations Cup. France achieved that feat in 2001.

Jose Pekerman's Argentina team looked exhausted as they beat Mexico 6-5 on penalties in the second semifinal in Hanover on Sunday, after a gruelling match ended 1-1 after extra time.

Brazil had enjoyed a relatively straightforward win over Germany 24 hours earlier in Nuremberg and the mauling they received in that last meeting in Argentina will be a powerful incentive.

``The final will be a great source of motivation,'' Ronaldinho said. ``It will be a great game against a great team.

``We want to end the season on a high note by winning this title. You forget about how tired you are when it's a final. We'll shrug it off.''

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira will be keen to prove that his ultra-attacking formation can be effective against top class opposition.

He will be asking for one final sacrifice from his four regular forwards, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho and Adriano, if the latter is fit.

``He was taken off as a precaution,'' doctor Jose Luiz Runco said of a player who also scored a great goal in Brazil's opening 3-0 win over Greece. ``I don't believe he's a doubt for tomorrow.

``We'll use ice on the left ankle and he should be able to resume training today.''

Pekerman will be forced into one change, with Javier Saviola suspended after picking up a red card in the semi-final. Carlos Tevez should return in his place.

The coach can recall centre-back Walter Samuel after he was suspended for the semi-final, but Gabriel Milito performed well enough in his absence and could keep his place.

Most of the previous games between Brazil and Argentina have come in friendly internationals, World Cup qualifiers and the Copa America.

The track record

They have met four times in the World Cup finals, three of them in Europe.

Brazil beat Argentina 2-1 in Hanover when the World Cup was held in West Germany in 1974. The Brazilians won again in Barcelona in 1982, an explosive 3-1 success that is remembered for a red card shown to Diego Maradona.

Argentina gained revenge in 1990 when it beat Brazil 1-0 in the round of 16.

Brazil and Argentina are the two most successful teams in FIFA competition history. Brazil boast a total of 16 titles, including a record five World Cups, while Argentina have eight, including two World Cups.

Brazil is also looking to become the second country after France to win the competition twice after its victory in the inaugural competition in 1997. Argentina won the forerunner, the FIFA International Championship in 1992.

Germany and Mexico, the two beaten semifinalists, meet in the third-place match in Leipzig earlier on Wednesday.

Probable teams:

Brazil: 1-Dida; 13-Cicinho, 3-Lucio, 4-Roque Junior, 6-Gilberto; 8-Kaka, 5-Emerson, 11-Ze Roberto, 10-Ronaldinho, 9-Adriano, 7-Robinho.

Argentina: 12-German Lux; 4-Javier Zanetti, 16-Fabricio Coloccini, 14-Gabriel Milito, 6-Gabriel Heinze; 5-Esteban Cambiasso, 18-Mario Santana, 8-Juan Roman Riquelme, 3-Juan Pablo Sorin; 7-Carlos Tevez, 21-Luciano Figueroa.

Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia). Reuters

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