Bielsa played safe by replacing Ayala

June 2, 2002

IBARAKI, Japan (Reuters) - Argentina captain Roberto Ayala was withdrawn from his side's World Cup opener against Nigeria at the last minute as a precautionary measure, coach Marcelo Bielsa has said.

Ayala felt a pull at the back of his left thigh during warm-up exercises in the changing room minutes before the teams were due to take the field for the group F match at Kashima Stadium.

"My muscle went hard," Ayala said after the match, a 1-0 victory for Argentina for which Diego Placente stepped into the left side of the defence and Walter Samuel moved into the central sweeper's role vacated by Ayala.

"He felt a pain as he was warming up and with the difficulty he was feeling it was advisable to withdraw him as a precaution," Bielsa said.

Bielsa, caught on Argentine television during the early stages of the match, looked nervous as his rearranged defence tried to settle down.

He was concerned about the loss of Ayala's heading skills against the tall Nigerian forwards, but Samuel coped well in the middle of a three-man back line made up entirely by World Cup debutants.