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LEIPZIG : Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe has one great advantage going into Saturday's World Cup round of 16 game against Argentina.

Lavolpe was born in Argentina, and was a back-up goalkeeper on the country's 1978 World Cup winning team. So Argentina, beware.

Though Argentina holds an edge over Mexico in the 14 games they've played, it's fairly even and the last three have been very close. Argentina has won five, drawn seven and lost two.

``There's a rival, in this case Mexico, that's not going to be in any way easy,'' Argentina defender Roberto Ayala said. ``The last few games with them have all been difficult. We have to keep thinking just one game ahead and not lose our way.''

This will be only the second meeting between Mexico and Argentina in the World Cup. Argentina won the first 6-3, but that was 76 years ago in the inaugural tournament in Uruguay.

In their most recent game, they played to a 1-1 draw in last summer's Confederations Cup with Argentina prevailing 6-5 on penalties.

Bookmakers favourite

Two-time champion Argentina is the favourite of British bookmakers to win the whole thing. And many are expecting Argentina to meet host Germany in the quarterfinals in Berlin.

``It's all or nothing now,'' Ayala said. ``We have to be careful with the smallest details.''

Ayala also complained that Argentina, which won Group C, plays Saturday, giving it only three days rest. The Dutch, second in Group C, play Sunday and get four days off.

The only absence will be defender Nicolas Burdisso, who is out with a knee injury picked up against the Dutch. Fabricio Coloccini is likely to fill in.

Team's strengths

Lavolpe has done very little tinkering with his defence and midfield in the tournament — the team's strengths.

Mexico has moved the ball around well in the first two-thirds of the field, but has generated little offence — save for the 3-1 opening win over Iran.

Top forward Jared Borgetti also has a torn left thigh muscle, but is expected to play. The second forward is a mystery.

Only Omar Bravo, who scored two against Iran but hasn't found the back of the net since (he missed a penalty in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Portugal) has started every match.

Forward Guillermo Franco, a naturalized Mexican who was born in Argentina, started the first two matches but came off the bench against Portugal as Francisco Fonseca got his first start.

Lavolpe will have no choice but to change his back line as well against Argentina, after the ejection of Luis Perez in the group finale after picking up his second yellow card. — AP

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