Preview
Argentian v Serbia & Mont.
Two-time World Cup winners Argentina, buoyed by three points from their first game against Ivory Coast, today take on a Serbia and Montenegro side severely weakened by the loss of defensive pillar Nemanja Vidic.
The tall, 24-year-old Manchester United defender, who helped his team keep a virtually clean sheet during the final stages of qualifying, suffered torn knee ligaments during training on Monday.
Meanwhile, star players in the fiery Balkan team squabbled with coach Ilija Petkovic about tactics in the wake of their lackluster opening 1-0 Group C defeat against the Netherlands.
"If we begin the match with the same team as that of Sunday, we do not have any chance against Argentina," midfielder Ognjen Koroman said.
Yet, the Serbs have little choice but to pull together and win against one of the strongest teams in Germany if they want to maintain their chances of qualifying from the "Group of Death."
By contrast, Argentina's squad -- who suffered similar bickering when they failed to get beyond the first round in 2002 and recorded their worst World Cup performance in 40 years -- are fit, united and focused.
"We must be thinking of collecting three points," said full back Roberto Ayala, one of Argentina's best players in the 2-1 defeat of Ivory Coast in Hamburg last week.
The experienced "Albiceleste" striking duo of Sevilla's Javier Saviola and Chelsea's Hernan Crespo were ruthless up front, pouncing on only a handful of opportunities against the West Africans.
"Serbia won't be as physically strong, but they have players who are technically very accomplished," midfielder Pablo Aimar cautioned on Wednesday.
The Argentinians are conscious that with Mateja Kezman, Dejan Stankovic, and Savo Milosevic, their opponents can still rival their incisive finishing.
"I think that they [Serbia] will play more offensively because they lost the first game, they have to win the second one," said Julio Cruz, who partners Stankovic at Inter Milan.
Argentina, who were shaken by the "Elephants," are aiming to remedy problems with maintaining possession and the flow of the ball upfield, which Ayala found was lacking against Ivory Coast.
Coach Jose Pekerman's taste for strategy means he prefers to adapt the team to each adversary.
He has so far given little idea if he will maintain the measured tactics for the tie that could secure Argentina's place among the last 16, despite pressure from the Argentine media for something more flamboyant.
Serbia and Montenegro face Argentina tonight at 9pm Taiwan time.
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