Argentina coach Basile faces Riquelme dilemma
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Team Stat Comparison
|
|
Argentina
|
Uruguay
|
|
Matches Played
|
10
|
10
|
|
Table Position
|
3
|
5
|
|
Points
|
16
|
13
|
|
Goal Difference
|
6
|
9
|
|
Goals for
*
|
1.8
|
1.0
|
|
Goals against
*
|
0.6
|
1.4
|
|
Last 5
|
L-W-D-D-D
|
D-L-D-W-W
|
|
Last 5 home
|
W-D-D-W-W
|
D-W-D-D-W
|
|
Last 5 away
|
L-D-D-L-W
|
D-L-W-L-L
|
|
*
Goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for away club
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|
·
Club Stats:
Argentina
|
Uruguay
|
|
Next Five Matches in Competition
|
|
Argentina
|
Uruguay
|
|
28/3
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H: Venezuela
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28/3
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H: Paraguay
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|
1/4
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A: Bolivia
|
1/4
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A: Chile
|
|
6/6
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H: Colombia
|
6/6
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H: Brazil
|
|
10/6
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A: Ecuador
|
10/6
|
A: Venezuela
|
|
5/9
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H: Brazil
|
5/9
|
A: Peru
|
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· Club Fixtures: Argentina | Uruguay
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Updated: October 10, 2008, 2:10 PM UK
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Alfio Basile appears undecided whether to field mercurial playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme in Saturday's World Cup qualifier against neighbours Uruguay.
Basile, under increasing pressure after six successive draws
in qualifiers and friendlies, has repeatedly expressed his
admiration for the elegant but erratic Boca Juniors player, who
has started all eight qualifiers so far.
But some indifferent performances from Riquelme, who was
this week involved in a public row with a Boca team mate who
questioned his recent displays, may prompt the gravel-voiced
coach to think again.
In training sessions this week, Basile has tested the first
team with and without Riquelme, who is criticised for dragging
the rest of the team down with him when he plays badly.
Forwards Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero were both rested
from training on Thursday but team sources said they were
certain to be fit.
Argentina are third in the 10-team South American qualifying
group with 13 points from eight games, one point ahead of their
opponents.
The confident Uruguayans, who last won in Buenos Aires in a
Copa America semi-final in 1987, have promised not to hide in
defence.
Forward Sebastian Abreu stirred the rivalry by suggesting
his team were achieving more than Argentina with fewer
resources.
"We have to show them that Argentina are Argentina and that
it's not going to be easy for them," retorted striker Carlos
Tevez, recalled by Basile despite two sendings-off in his last
three outings.
"We are playing in Argentina and they have to have some
respect."
Probable teams:Argentina: Juan Pablo Carrizo; Javier Zanetti, Nicolas
Burdisso, Martin Demichelis, Gabriel Heinze; Javier Mascherano,
Esteban Cambiasso, Angel Di Maria or Juan Roman Riquelme; Lionel
Messi, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero
Uruguay: Juan Castillo: Jorge Fucile, Diego Lugano, Diego
Godin, Martin Caceres; Maximiliano Pereira, Diego Perez,
Sebastian Eguren, Cristian Rodriguez; Luis Suarez, Sebastian
Abreu
Argentina 2 - 1 Uruguay
