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Argentine coach Jose Pekerman named his team on Friday for the World Cup opener against Ivory Coast and told his players not to underestimate the African side.
Updated : Sep 18, 2017, 04:07 PM IST
HERZOGENAURACH: Argentine coach Jose Pekerman named his team on Friday for the World Cup opener against Ivory Coast and told his players not to underestimate the African side.
Pekerman is under no illusions about the threat posed by debutants
“Their coach has done a great job in the last two years, they are very organised with top players with experience in
Pekerman picked the side he has been working with all week at
He named a defence that has the experienced Roberto Ayala and Gabriel Heinze in the centre to deal with the threat posed by the Ivorians' captain Didier Drogba, who until recently was sharing the centre forward duties with Crespo at Chelsea.
“Drogba is a spearhead in the area who is a technically gifted player with good control of the ball and a very good header,” Pekerman said.
“He will give the central defenders a lot of work and also the central midfielders who must control those first metres (where he roams).”
Pekerman said he regarded his squad of 23 as a unit and not a first team and reserves. Players overlooked for the opening match might come to the fore during the tournament.
He is almost certain to call on gifted teenager Lionel Messi at some point in the match and may link him with fellow substitutes Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez if
ARGENTINE STYLE: Argentina face two more tough opponents in Serbia & Montenegro, in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, and twice finalists Netherlands, in Frankfurt on June 21, in their group.
Pekerman said he had chosen his players essentially to get the most out of a traditional Argentine style of playing without at the same time dismissing the strengths of his opponents.
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“We know
Pekerman said he was pleased with