The Hindu : Sport : Argentina set to rest key players

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 21, 2006

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Argentina set to rest key players

Van Basten not to risk his regular first 11

FRANKFURT: Lionel Messi had been relishing a World Cup match-up against FC Barcelona teammates Mark van Bommel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Forget it. The most anticipated first-round game this World Cup, featuring Argentina and the Netherlands, has lost a lot of its lustre.

Since both nations were so efficient in beating Serbia and Montenegro and Ivory Coast, the Group C has already been resolved before the final round of games.

And with the prospect of facing Portugal, Mexico or Angola in the next round, both Argentina and the Netherlands are set to rest key players with injuries or facing the threat of suspension.

The Netherlands needs a victory to win the group while Argentina, because of its 6-0 drubbing of Serbia-Montenegro, can finish atop with a draw.

Hoping for a match-up

Messi, at 18, still has enough youthful exuberance to hope a true matchup can still happen and has already discussed it with his European club champion colleagues.

"We had talked about it before coming here and now the moment has arrived," Messi said.

Not so. According to the latest speculation, Dutch coach Marco van Basten will sit the Barcelona duo, Chelsea winger Arjen Robben, central defender Joris Mathijsen and the injured John Heitinga.

Likewise, Argentina coach Jose Pekerman might hold out the suspension-threatened Luis Gonzalez, who is also slightly injured, Hernan Crespo, Javier Saviola and Gabriel Heinze.

Players with one yellow card after the first round go into the second with a clean slate, making it all the more imperative for the coaches not to risk their regular first 11.

Argentina, however, has such depth that line-up changes might not affect its play. That cannot be said of the Netherlands, which already had trouble filling key midfield and defensive positions.

Competitive in the past

The lack of intensity this year belies the history between both teams. In 1978, both teams reached the final in Buenos Aires where the Albiceste needed extra time and Mario Kempes to prevail 3-1. Four years earlier, the Netherlands beat Argentina 4-0 on the way to the final.

Eight years ago, Denis Bergkamp scored Oranje's finest goal in the closing stages to beat the South Americans in the quarterfinals.

So there is plenty of respect for both sides. "It's a great test. We can't afford to stumble against the Dutch," Argentina midfielder Javier Macherano said.

Van Basten realises the challenge. — AP

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