Argentina pin hopes on Batistuta

June 1, 2002

IBARAKI, Japan, June 2 (Reuters) - Gabriel Batistuta was picked to lead Argentina's World Cup attack against Nigeria on Sunday because coach Marcelo Bielsa believes in his proven match-winning qualities.

"Batistuta is a symbol of Argentine football," Bielsa said when he named the 33-year-old striker, his country's record World Cup scorer, in his side for the group F opener in Ibaraki.

Bielsa opted for Batistuta instead of Hernan Crespo after weighing up a tight decision in the light of their performances in recent practice games.

"The last practice match was markedly intense, it was very positive for us," Bielsa said.

"I don't think that during the World Cup there will be such intense moments as there were against that Japanese team (FC Tokyo)."

FC Tokyo held Argentina, with Crespo as the central striker, to a 0-0 draw in a tough 50-minute workout on Tuesday.

Six days earlier, Batistuta scored four in little more than half an hour against Kashima Antlers, whose home ground is Sunday's match venue.

Bielsa was well aware that Nigeria would be looking to emulate fellow Africans Senegal, shock 1-0 winners over defending champions France in Seoul on Friday.

"It was a surprise that a favourite should fall, the last world champions, but that's typical of football," Bielsa said.

PHYSICAL CHALLENGE

The Argentines are expecting a strong physical challenge from a side they beat 2-1 in their only previous World Cup meeting in Boston in 1994 - Diego Maradona's last international.

Bielsa believes that taking the game to the opposition can reduce such a risk.

"A characteristic of this team is to besiege their rivals in their own half," he said.

"We've faced the whole gamut of rivals possible represented at the World Cup and, playing well or badly, we've managed to keep out style alive."

Bielsa was also confident of the fitness of his players.

"The players have reached almost ideal shape. We know it's the end of the season, that they've played 60 matches, that they haven't competed for 20 days," he said.

"But we can see no reason to show us we can't be optimistic."

Nigeria must overcome recent upheaval under new coach Festus Onigbinde following a disappointing showing in this year's African Nations Cup.