Argentine strikers reflect on English flop

June 8, 2002

SAPPORO, Japan, June 8 (AFP) -- Argentine strikers Hernan Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta believe the two-time world champions can still reach the second round of the World Cup, despite their painful loss to England.p

The Argentines are third in Group F and need to beat Sweden in Miyagi, Japan, on Wednesday to have any hope of a place in the last 16.

Batistuta, who was ineffective before being hauled off against England to make way for Crespo, said the Argentines should have upped the tempo and got forward more aggressively than they did after David Beckham's first-half penalty.

But he also blamed England for being over-defensive and effectively killing the game - which left Argentina unable to conjure an equaliser.

"If they (the English) had played a little bit in the second half I think that Argentina would have managed a little more but they crowded the area and it was difficult to find a way through," 'Batigol' told AFP Saturday.

Batistuta's goal in the opening 1-0 win over Nigeria was his 56th international striker and his tenth in the World Cup, but Crespo may now come into the side against Sweden as coach Marcelo Bielsa is not keen to field both forwards together.

Crespo, the "luxury substitute," was no more effective than Batistuta on the night when he was given half an hour to prove himself.

"Unfortunately, they defended very well and we were not able to overcome that, they closed us down well," Crespo said of the England defence.

Crespo, who has netted 17 goals in 35 appearances for Argentina, including nine in the qualifiers, now has to keep his fingers crossed that Bielsa will throw caution to the wind against Sweden and play both his strikers.

Many Argentine fans have long criticised Bielsa's one-striker policy.