Argentina lifts home spirits with 1-0 win
Argentina lifts home spirits with 1-0 win
Mike Collett
Reuters
Ibaraki, Japan
Argentina struck the opening blow in the World Cup's toughest
group on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Nigeria to give a sorely
needed boost to its economically stricken nation.
Gabriel Batistuta repaid the faith placed in him by coach
Marcelo Bielsa with a 63rd minute header as the newly installed
Cup favorites made a winning start to group F on the third day of
the tournament.
Argentina's long-term rivals England, drawn in the same group,
took an early lead against Sweden in Saitama after defender Sol
Campbell headed a corner from captain David Beckham into the net
in the 24th minute.
An elementary error in the 59th minute by right-back Danny
Mills, who failed to control the ball, allowed midfielder Niclas
Alexandersson to lash the ball past David Seaman from 20 metres.
Beckham, playing his first game for nearly two months after
breaking a bone in his left foot, was substituted four minutes
later.
Sweden, with Fredrik Ljungberg passed fit but missing captain
Patrik Andersson because of a thigh injury, were strangely
subdued in the first half. They were a different proposition
after the interval and fully deserved the draw.
Despite lurid warnings in Japan's media that England soccer
hooligans could wreak havoc, the match began in a party
atmosphere with England and Sweden fans mingling before the game
and no sign of troublemakers.
Senegal's shock 1-0 win over champions France on Friday's
first day of Asia's first World Cup led to a swift revision of
the odds with Argentina now the tournament favorites.
Argentina has been virtually paralyzed by a four-year
recession that has put one in two Argentines below the poverty
line.
Soccer has not been immune with the Argentine Football
Association, despite an annual US$250,000 payout from FIFA, so
broke that the players have agreed to play without pay. Even
coach Marcelo Bielsa is not being paid.
On Sunday, Batistuta, 33, picked ahead of rival Hernan Crespo,
rose high to head the winner and enter an exclusive club of 10
players who have scored 10 or more World Cup goals.
More importantly, it gave Argentina three points against a
Nigerian side who emulated Senegal and Cameroon -- who drew 1-1
with Ireland -- in their rugged uncompromising defense.
Argentina launched wave after wave of attack with Juan
Sebastian Veron showing some delightful touches in the midfield.
Batistuta twice went close to scoring, heading just wide in
the first half and firing just wide of the post in the second.
Finally a deep Veron corner floated towards the far post and
Batistuta soared above team mate Mauricio Pochettino to score.
"We're very happy to have achieved an important victory over
tough rivals," said Veron. "What was important was the team. This
is a very difficult group with great teams and great players and
we were able to show the world what we are worth as a team."
BOX
1. Croatia vs Mexico (G) Niigata, Japan 1.30 p.m.
2. Brazil vs Turkey (C) Ulsan, S. Korea 4 p.m.
3. Italy vs Ecuador (G) Sapporo, Japan 6.30 p.m