Argentina to face Uruguay without Di Maria and Aguero

Buenos Aires: Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero will miss Argentina`s final South American World Cup qualifer against Uruguay on Tuesday as the team who have already booked their place at next year`s finals prepare to field yet more reserves.

Argentina were already without key players Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Gago, all injured, when they beat Peru 3-1 on Friday with winger Di Maria captaining the side in Messi`s absence. "The coaching staff today (Monday) released Fabricio Coloccini because of a muscle injury, Rodrigo Brana with muscle fatigue, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero, who will not travel to Uruguay," the Argentine FA said on its website (www.afa.org.ar). Coach Alejandro Sabella`s team had already secured their berth at the 2014 finals in Brazil last month and on Friday ensured they won the nine-nation group. Strikers Ezequiel Lavezzi and Rodrigo Palacio made the most of a rare chance to start for Argentina scoring two and one goal respectively against Peru. Uruguay are resigned to attempting to qualify via a playoff in order to reach a second finals in succession since they would need a big win against Argentina and for Chile or Ecuador, who both have three more points, to win their match in Santiago. The top four teams qualify automatically for the World Cup with Argentina and Colombia having booked their tickets and Chile and Ecuador set to join them while the team in fifth has to meet Asia`s Jordan in a two-leg playoff next month.