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Argentina, Venezuala in preparation for World Cup qualifying clash
Caracas, Sept 09: The Venezuelan and Argentine soccer teams prepare for their upcoming World Cup qualifying match.
Caracas, Sept 09: The Venezuelan and Argentine soccer teams prepare for their upcoming World Cup qualifying match.
As the Argentine national team arrived in Venezuela on Sunday (September 07), it showed signs of optimism before its upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela on Tuesday (September 09).
Both teams lost their first match over the weekend. Argentina threw away a two-goal lead in a disappointing 2-2 home draw against Chile on Saturday (September 06).
Venezuela, once considered easy pickings, lost 2-0 to Ecuador in Quito on Saturday (September 06) but Venezuelan player Miguel Mea Vitali expressed confidence in his team, which has a streak stretching back nearly three years of being unbeaten in eleven home games. "They [Argentina] comes here in search of the three points, we are here in search of the three points," said Vitali. "We are going to make our home be respected; it's been a long time since we lost here."
Argentina, particularly coach Marcelo Bielsa and midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, have yet to win back the confidence of the public after the team's spectacular failure in Japan and South Korea, where they arrived as favourites only to crash out in the first round.
But player Roberto Ayala stood behind the introverted, eccentric coach who comes from a famous family of lawyers. "(Coach Marcelo Bielsa has) the same desires as always, with the same illusion, the way of working that, of course, has not changed, the same way of treating us," said Ayala. "I think that like everyone, when we are hit, I think we have experience and we have made our own conclusions."
The marathon battle for four automatic berths began nearly three years before the final is due to be played.
Bureau Report
Venezuela, once considered easy pickings, lost 2-0 to Ecuador in Quito on Saturday (September 06) but Venezuelan player Miguel Mea Vitali expressed confidence in his team, which has a streak stretching back nearly three years of being unbeaten in eleven home games. "They [Argentina] comes here in search of the three points, we are here in search of the three points," said Vitali. "We are going to make our home be respected; it's been a long time since we lost here."
Argentina, particularly coach Marcelo Bielsa and midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, have yet to win back the confidence of the public after the team's spectacular failure in Japan and South Korea, where they arrived as favourites only to crash out in the first round.
But player Roberto Ayala stood behind the introverted, eccentric coach who comes from a famous family of lawyers. "(Coach Marcelo Bielsa has) the same desires as always, with the same illusion, the way of working that, of course, has not changed, the same way of treating us," said Ayala. "I think that like everyone, when we are hit, I think we have experience and we have made our own conclusions."
The marathon battle for four automatic berths began nearly three years before the final is due to be played.
Bureau Report