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| June 16, 2006 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1427 |
Striking dilemma for Mexico and Angola
HANOVER, June 15: Mexico and Angola have problems up front ahead of their World Cup clash on Friday and whichever team finds a solution should come out on top.
The Mexicans scored three goals in their opening Group D match against Iran despite an injury to talismanic striker Jared Borgetti.
Borgetti is expected to miss the remaining group games and coach Ricardo La Volpe is expected to push Omar Bravo, who hit two goals against Iran, further forward to partner Guillermo Franco in a 5-3-2 lineup.
“Jared is a loss to any team but we have plenty of faith in our other strikers,” captain Rafael Marquez told reporters.
“We scored three against Iran and Jared didn't score any of them, that's a signal of what the others are capable of. They are quality players and will do us proud.”
Debutants Angola also have concerns in attack, having created few chances in their 1-0 defeat by Portugal last Sunday.
Captain and lone striker Akwa has appealed to coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves to change tactics and play a second man up front.
“We have Mantorras, Flavio, Andre Titi Buengo, Love, Mateus. I don't care who it is,” he said earlier this week.
But after going down by a single goal against fancied Portugal, Goncalves is unlikely to change his strategy.
“The performance has given us confidence for the next game, even though it was a defeat,” said keeper Joao Ricardo.
“I think we will be a little more ambitious, a little more positive against Mexico.”
Mexico are in buoyant mood after their 3-1 victory over Iran.
“We are confident we can reach at least the semi-finals,” Marquez said. “Reaching the last 16 will not be good enough.”
Probable teams:
MEXICO (5-3-2): 1-Oswaldo Sanchez (71-0); 16-Mario Mendez (33-0), 4-Rafael Marquez (66-7), 5-Ricardo Osorio (36-1), 3-Carlos Salcido (33-2), 14-Gonzalo Pineda (30-1); 23-Luis Perez (53-8), 7-Antonio Naelson “Zinha” (33-5), 8-Pavel Pardo (126-5); 10-Guillermo Franco (8-2), 19-Omar Bravo (34-9)
ANGOLA: (4-5-1): 1-Joao Ricardo (25-0); 20-Loco (10-0), 3-Jamba (34-0), 5-Kali (20-0), 21-Delgado (16-0); 17-Ze Kalanga (22-4), 8-Andre Macanga (32-0), 7-Figueiredo (21-2), 11-Mateus (3-2), 14-Mendonca (33-0); 10-Akwa (76-35).—Reuters
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