Batistuta to face Nigeria
June 1 , 2002
Gabriel Batistuta will lead Argentina's attack in their opening World Cup match against Nigeria on Sunday.
Coach Marcelo Bielsa confirmed that Batistuta would be prefered to Hernan Crespo.
"This was not a last minute decision, nor was it traumatic.
It was absolutely normal," said Bielsa.
Crespo appeared the more likely choice after practice games in the last 10 days at Argentina's World Cup base.
Bielsa said he had weighed up the form of both players in the days leading up to his decision, but he has always argued that there is little to choose between them.
"What's very clear to me is that our objective is to play a
lot of games in this World Cup and for that we are going to need the players (in the squad)," he said.
Batistuta is Argentina's record scorer with 55 goals in 75
internationals and leading World Cup marksman with nine goals in the last two tournaments.
Crespo was Argentina's top scorer in the South American World Cup qualifying tournament with nine goals.
Bielsa also opted for Claudio Lopez instead of Kily Gonzalez on the left flank of the attack.
"Claudio Lopez fulfils the objective of crossing the ball
in from the left behind the defence," Bielsa said.
The line-up contains eight members of Daniel Passarella's
1998 World Cup squad, seven of whom played in the 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Pablo Cavallero, third choice goalkeeper behind Carlos Roa four years ago, makes his World Cup debut.
Argentina: Pablo Cavallero; Mauricio Pochettino,
Roberto Ayala, Walter Samuel; Javier Zanetti, Diego
Simeone, Juan Sebastian Veron, Juan Pablo Sorin; Ariel
Ortega, Gabriel Batistuta, Claudio Lopez.
BBC Sport Online