JOHANNESBURG Red-hot Argentina will get probably their biggest 2010 FIFA World Cup test to date, when they take on an equally merciless Germany in a quarter-final clash scheduled for Cape Towns Green Point stadium tomorrow tonight.
Perhaps what will take precedence in the minds of Diego Maradonna and his men ahead of this epic clash will be the need to avenge the 2006 heat-break they felt when as hosts, Germany beat the South Americans 4-2 on penalties and sent them packing out of the competition at this very stage.
Germanys Miroslav Klose and Roberto Ayala had found the target as the two teams grounded to a 1-1 score line after extra time and needed to be separated by the dreaded shootout.
While both Julio Rocardo Cruz and Maximilliano Rodriguez scored for La Albiceleste, Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso missed their spot kicks and condemned their side to the loss, as all German takers Michael Ballack, Oliver Nueville, Lucas Podolski and Tim Borrowski converted theirs.
(Pictured: Germanys danger man, Lucas Podolski.)
Both teams have been as ruthless in this tournament as they were in Germany four years ago. Die Mannschaft, who had scored 10 goals against two when they met Argentina at the quarter-finals, have scored and conceded one less at this tournament and managed to keep their eight goal difference, while the Argentines have rattled the net 10 times this year, just as they had done at this stage in 2006. They have, however, conceded one more goal in this edition.
A plus for Maradonas men is that they have so far kept a 100 per cent record in the tournament so far, having won all their four matches, an in regulation time, so far, while the Germans tasted defeat in the group stages, where they lost 1-0 to Serbia in their second Group D game.
There are some similarities in the two teams though, with both having so far managed to combine skill, polished play with speed and scoring prowess.
Maradona conceded after the Mexico game that the Germans were a much stronger side than all he has met in the competition so far, adding that his star player Messi deserves to be protected more by match officials.
(Pictured: Argentina’s star player, Lionel Messi.)
“We will field a team to beat Germany. We know that Germany is a different team from Mexico and are stronger,” said Maradona, arguably the best player the game has ever seen.
“When Messi is playing he gets kicked around and the referees choose to ignore that. I was a player 20 years ago and I know how it feels. When Messi gets the ball everybody just wants to kick him. This is a scandal! When I was playing I had three players on me. What is being done to Messi is a scandal because the players don’t even look for the ball, they just kick him. As soon as Messi gets the ball everybody kicks him and that is not the way to play football. I want Messi to be respected.”
He also had a word about his critics, who include former Brazilian legend Pele.
When I took up this job they said I have no idea about coaching but now that I am winning the matches it is all different. Victory is always what I am looking for. The difference is that on the pitch you scream things that you cannot say on the bench because we cannot say whatever we want there.
Post published in: Football