Uruguay calls Shah Alam stadium 'home' for final
Uruguay calls Shah Alam stadium 'home' for final
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia (AFP): Uruguay has "home" advantage here
today as it bids to win its first world youth football title
against defending champion Argentina.
Uruguay, the only unbeaten team in the under-20 tournament,
goes into the all-South American final having played all its six
matches so far at the same Shah Alam stadium.
Argentina, on the other hand, will be making its first
appearance here after playing its league games at Kangar, the
second round at Johor Baru and the quarter and semifinals at
Kuching.
"We've got used to this place," Uruguayan coach Victor Pua
said as his wards trained at the 80,000-seat stadium. "It's like
a second home to us.
"Hopefully, the people who have watched us here over the last
two weeks will come again and back us."
But the Argentineans will be pleased to get away from Kuching,
where spectators backed Brazil against them in the quarterfinals
and then rooted for Ireland in the semis.
"It doesn't matter where we play," said Argentina's coach Jose
Pekerman. "To be champion, you have to play at any venue and
against any opponents. We've had two days to get used to this new
place."
Pekerman, who predicted his team would retain the title after
the 2-0 quarter-final win over Brazil, is now a mellow man --
with ample reason.
Uruguay has looked solid with five wins in six matches, while
Argentina has been branded the "chameleon champions" by one
newspaper for its inconsistent form.
It was beaten 4-3 by Australia in the league, was brilliant
against England and Brazil, but struggled to down spirited
Ireland 1-0 in the semifinals.
"We could have played better against Ireland," Pekerman
admitted. "I hope to rectify the problem before the final.
Hopefully the shock will jolt the boys."
He brushed aside questions on whether the players will get
huge financial rewards if they retain the title they won at Qatar
two years ago.
"There will be some reward, but nothing special. We will be
playing for pride and that is more important than anything else,"
he said.
Revenge is also an incentive. Argentina was beaten 1-0 by
Uruguay in its first match of the South American qualifiers
earlier this year and held to a 1-1 draw in the second.
Uruguay's Pua was understandably upbeat on his team's chances
in its first ever world youth final.
"We have nothing to fear (against) Argentina," he said. "I
have the utmost respect for them because they are a very strong
side, but we know each other very well. Psychologically, there is
nothing to scare us."
The ultimate winner will be South America's football future.
This will be the third successive world youth title for a country
from the region -- Brazil won in 1993 and Argentina in 1995.
South America has won five of the 10 titles contested since
the tournament was launched in 1977. European countries won four
times while erstwhile Soviet Union took the inaugural title.
Brazil, in 1983 and 1985, and Portugal in 1989 and 1991, are
the only teams to have won two tournaments in a row.
Probable starting lineups
Uruguay: Gustavo Munua, Martin Fernandez, Pablo Garcia, Pellegrin
Garcia, Christian Callejas, Walter Coelho, Marcelo Zalayeta,
Nicolas Olivera, Alvaro Perea, Daniel Bentancor, Alejandro Botta.
Argentina: Leonardo Franco, Juan Serrizuela, Esteban Cambiasso,
Diego Markic, Lionel Scaloni, Diego Quintana, Roman Riquelme,
Bernardo Romeo, Pablo Aimer, Fabian Cubero, Diego Placente.