Argentina Fans Club

[Giggs]

Tevez out of Argentina squad
Manchester City's in-form striker absent from Argentina squad



Argentina coach Sergio Bastista has omitted Carlos Tevez and other high profile players from his squad to face Portugal.
The friendly game will take place on February 9th in Switzerland and Sergio Aguero is also missing from the squad, as are Martin Demichelis and Gabriel Heinze.
Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain also misses the game having just had back surgery.
However, Barcelona maverick Lionel Messi has been included in the squad fesh from receiving a second FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmar), Mariano Andujar (Catania).
Defenders: Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Nicolas Pareja (Spartak Moscow), Nicolas Burdisso (Roma), Ezequiel Garay (Real Madrid), Marcos Rojo (Spartak Moscow), Nicolas Otamendi (FC Porto), Gabriel Milito (Barcelona).

Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht), Jose Sosa (Napoli), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Enzo Perez (Estudiantes), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Ever Banega (Valencia), Javier Pastore (Palermo).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Nicolas Gaitan (Benfica), Juan Manual Martinez (Velez Sarsfield).

[reality]

why teves out?

[reality]

Internacional's Argentine star Andres D'Alessandro and Uruguay trainer Oscar Tabarez were celebrating yesterday evening, as they collected their awards for South American Player and Coach of the Year in a lavish ceremony in Montevideo.

[Giggs]

Messi - CR7: Head To Head

[Giggs]

Argentina And Spain Close To Agreement To Play International Friendly In India
Argentina and Spain are to agree to an international friendly in India in September.

The Indian Football Association (IFA) have claimed that they have reached an agreement with Argentina to play in a friendly in Calcutta in September of this year, against either Spain or Portugal, with the world champions the Albiceleste's most likely opponent.
Utpal Ganguli, secretary general of the IFA said of the proposed match, “Argentina has already signed a memorandum of understanding and have confirmed that they will come, and will play their best players, including Lionel Messi.”
Gunguli added that it has yet to be decided which of the two Iberian nations will take on Argentina, but Spain are thought to be the preferred option, with a management firm currently in negotiations on the IFA’s behalf.
He continued, “Discussions are under way. I hope we can get it; it would be fantastic, and historic for Calcutta and India. A match between Argentina and Spain would be like a world final.
In 2008 Argentina legend Diego Maradona received a rapturous reception upon visiting Calcutta, while Uruguay’s World Cup Golden Ball winner Diego Forlan also visited during the summer.
Argentina and Spain faced each other in a recent friendly, with the South Americans emerging as 4-0 winners.

[Giggs]

Argentina 2-1 Portugal: Messi Late Show Hands Albiceleste Victory After Battle In Geneva
Messi stepped up to convert a last-minute penalty and hand Argentina a close victory over Portugal, who will be rueing a pair of second half chances that went awry...
A last-minute penalty from Lionel Messi broke Portuguese resistance and ensured a 2-1 victory for Argentina, in a game where both teams had ample chances to win. Messi's goal added to an exquisite first-half assist as Angel di Maria gave the Albiceleste an early lead, before Cristiano Ronaldo had pegged them back with an opportunistic finish from close range.
Argentina were surprised from the first whistle as Portugal went immediately on the front foot, but settled down quickly and got their typical incisive passing game into gear. Messi, Esteban Cambiasso and Ezequiel Lavezzi looked dangerous in combination, and ‘La Pulga’ had the first real chance of the game with a header that went just wide.
The Albiceleste did not have to wait long for an opener though, and again the Barcelona star was pivotal. After cutting in from the right hand side the Argentine centre forward chipped an exquisite pass into the path of Di Maria, who accelerated behind a static defence and beat Eduardo with a composed finish.
It appeared that the Albiceleste would run away with the game, but Portugal rallied and after 20 minutes had Cristiano Ronaldo to thank for the equaliser.
Although no way near as integral to his team’s effort as Messi, the Real Madrid striker has an undeniable eye for goal and he demonstrated it once more to level the game. Nani did well to open up space on the left and a teasing cross was put into the box, and Ronaldo got the jump on a sluggish Sergio Romero to drive under the 'keeper and cancel out Argentina’s advantage.
Paulo Bento’s side had a clear game plan of squeezing their opponents across the pitch and getting bodies behind the ball, and in a tight first half it gradually paid-off. Raul Meireles in particular took pleasure in destroying the Argentine rhythm, and was lucky to avoid a booking following several over-enthusiastic challenges.
Argentina on the other hand showed their usual Jekyll and Hyde mentality, combining stunning play going forward with careless passages in their own half. Gabriel Milito and Javier Mascherano in particular were guilty of giving away possession, but the entire team were caught far too many times with the ball in dangerous positions.
Once the ball reached the final third however Messi and company looked constantly threatening, and Lavezzi missed a chance in the area after great work from Marcos Rojo. A less than impeccable Portugal defence knew they needed to close the gaps as the whistle went for half time.
The Argentine defence suffered a big scare in the opening seconds of the second period, when Ronaldo’s cross found an unmarked Hugo Almeida and the centre forward clipped the bar with a powerful header.
The physical number nine started the half like a man possessed, and once more rattled Romero’s bar with a header just minutes later. A rattled ‘Seleccion’ struggled to assert themselves in the face of fierce tackling, Meireles again escaped sanction for a crunching late challenge on Cambiasso.
The fouls however ran their own risk, and Messi forced a great save from Eduardo from a dangerous free kick just outside the area. The game was now running at a pulsating pace, and just minutes later Almeida missed an incredible chance from inches out, before the entire Portugal team clamoured for a non-existent foul in the build up.
The hour mark saw Ronaldo withdrawn to a rousing ovation from the Portuguese contingent in Geneva, while Zanetti and Banega made way for the Albiceleste. The change saw the Europeans lose some of their potency on the break and Argentina subsequently dared to push forward a little more, but Bruno Alves and Rolando stayed resolute in the centre and Batista's men continued to be squeezed with the ball at feet.
After a quiet spell debutant Rojo had a golden chance to break the deadlock, but with 15 minutes left the Spartak Moscow player nodded a free header wide left to his obvious anguish.
Substitute Javier Pastore was the next man to go close, but after patient build up play the Palermo playmaker could not beat Eduardo one on one, and the scoreline remained 1-1 as the game moved into its final stages. Argentina had by far the best of the closing exchanges, and a towering header from 'El Flaco' could not have been closer to a winner as it rebounded off the bar.
With just minutes left on the clock though Velez Sarsfield striker Juan Manuel Martinez was taken down by Fabio Coentrao in the box, and the referee had no choice but to award a penalty. Who else to step up but 'La Pulga': Messi calmly sent the 'keeper the wrong way to seal a hard-fought victory, in a game which on balance the Argentines deserved to win.

[Giggs]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaTTbII-nfk&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Portugal vs Argentina 1-2 2/9/2011 all highlights[/ame]

[hitman87]

thanks Giggs..

[Giggs]

thanks Giggs..

Welcome hitman

[Giggs]

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Friendly
USA v Argentina, 23:00 GMT