Dejected Argentines know it's win or die

June 9, 2002

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - Kily Gonzalez with head in his hands, a dejected Gabriel Batistuta with head bowed, it was a nightmare scenario that greeted grief-stricken Argentine fans after England's sensational 1-0 victory on Friday.

The pained expressions of Argentina's World Cup side and their disconsolate supporters back home stared out from every Argentine newspaper on Saturday -- and headlines left no doubt -- it is win or die against Sweden.

As commentators put England's group F win down to the nimble runs of Michael Owen, President Eduardo Duhalde urged Argentines to stand behind the star-studded national team -- the pre-tournament favourites for the cup before Friday's ignominious defeat.

Being interviewed on local radio about Argentina's worst ever economic crisis, Duhalde suddenly lamented: "We were defeated by England.

"We must muster all the support we can to ensure a win on Wednesday," added Argentina's fifth leader since mid-December, who cut a nervous figure in a photograph in one local newspaper as he dragged on a cigarette while watching Friday's game.

The game had been so hyped, the loss was unthinkable for most Argentines. Local radio interviewers scoffed aloud on state radio when an English fan predicted a win just before the match started.

Argentina's World Cup proceedings had provided a much needed distraction from the ongoing economic chaos in the country, which has left one in two of the 36 million-strong population facing poverty.

But the defeat took the wind out of the people used to touting Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" defeat of England in the 1986 World Cup as symbolic revenge for losing the Falklands War 20 years ago.

"God missed the game," said daily Clarin in an editorial. "God told me he is coming on Wednesday. So I can relax."

FALKLANDERS CELEBRATE

Papers carried pictures of jubilant fans in Port Stanley celebrating outside a traditional English pub, their faces painted in red and pints in hand.

Argentina must now beat Sweden on Wednesday to guarantee reaching the last 16.

Local television and radio sought to lift Argentine spirits on Saturday, blaring Argentina's World Cup anthem despite the loss while daily La Nacion gave its readers a poster of the World Cup side.

"I love Argentina" read leading sports newspaper Ole's banner headline above a group photo of the team. "Now, more than ever, Ole is with the national team," it declared.

Inside the edition, however, it stood by Maradona's theory -- shared by many frustrated Argentines -- that coach Marcelo Bielsa should have played Batistuta and Hernan Crespo at the same time instead of substituting one for the other as central striker.

"Bielsa clung too tightly to a tactic England was comfortable with, and did not try a Crespo-Bati combination up front... You should have at least tried Marcelo," Ole said, nonetheless paying tribute to England's performance.

"We lost because we played badly and because England won both on the pitch and in attitude."

Argentine captain Juan Sebastian Veron told la Nacion: "Bielsa did what he had to do. I was playing badly and he took me off."

But it was not all doom and gloom in soccer-mad Argentina.

Some supporters congregated at a landmark obelisk in central Buenos Aires on Friday, blaring horns and waving national flags.

"So it was a setback, but we'll get our own back. England deserved to win -- we played appallingly -- but we'll see you in the semifinals," said 23-year-old Argentine student Javier as he bought his morning paper, flinching at the headline: "Now there is no choice but to win".