Strikers eye World Cup as Argentine Clausura kicks off

Buenos Aires: Uruguayans Santiago Silva and Joaquin Boghossian will have a place at the World Cup in their sights when the Argentine Clausura championship kicks off this weekend.

Beefy striker Silva nicknamed "The Tank" was top scorer in the Apertura championship, which ended in December, with 14 goals in 19 matches as modest Banfield won their first title. "Every day I dream of going to the World Cup...the chances are there. I want to carry on (playing) like this to show I can be on a list to go to South Africa," Silva said in a recent interview with a sports daily. However, Banfield will be without him when they open their defence of the title at home to River Plate on Sunday (2000 GMT). Silva has returned to Velez Sarsfield, winners of last season`s Clausura in July, after a year`s loan because the clubs could not agree new terms for him to stay on at Banfield. Velez kick off at home to Colon on Saturday (2000).The 22-year-old Boghossian struck 11 goals for runners-up Newell`s Old Boys in the last tournament having crossed from his native Montevideo an unknown young player. Neither the 29-year-old Silva nor Boghossian were involved in the long qualifying campaign that finally saw coach Oscar Washington Tabarez`s Uruguay side snatch the 32nd and last berth at the World Cup by beating Costa Rica in a playoff in November. Dozens of Argentine players will at the same time be out to land a place in Diego Maradona`s squad, not least 36-year-old Martin Palermo of Boca Juniors, whose international career was revived in the final qualifiers after a 10-year absence.With Maradona, getting through more than 90 players including squads he named for friendlies, there appears to be a chance for many even while the bulk of his squad will come from the European leagues. Bureau Report