Destination South Africa

The shots of Carlos Bilardo embracing an emotional Maradona at the end of last night's deserved victory in Uruguay highlighted the schizophrenic nature of the qualifying campaign for Argentina. If reports are to be believed (all rubbish says Diego) their relationship has become increasingly strained in recent months - but now the love is back? How can a nation with such a mine of top class footballing talent struggle to make even the final qualifying position? How can the world's finest player consistently produce such ineffective performances for the national side whilst continuing to shine for Barcelona? Why was Real Madrid's leading goalscorer Gonzalo Higuain ignored for so long? And the big one - how could a country with the international pedigree of Argentina entrust World Cup qualification to the unproven, untested and unpredictable Diego Maradona?

The win in Montevideo surprised those of us who were expecting more strange substitutions, erratic formation changes and a start for Martin Palermo - quite the opposite as sensible changes at the right times along with a starring midfield role for the returning Veron helped secure the win. Uruguay offered little in front of the expectant home crowd and the game as a whole was far from the classic that was anticipated. For periods in the second half Argentina went back to the future and began to look like Argentina again. AFA boss Julio Grondona wants Bilardo to be more involved in team affairs - this win may well have his influence all over it. Could Maradona finally have reneged and let Carlos Bilardo have more say in the team?

You can imagine the gentlemen of the press rubbing their hands together at the prospect of Maradona's post-match press conference, biros and dictaphones poised to record every juicy detail - payback time. Never one to hold back Diego let rip - details of his tirade can be found all over the web, tellingly his main target was the media, dedicating the win to 'all Argentines, minus the journalists'. The journalists wont be too disappointed at being excluded - it's a win-win for them, Argentina are at the World Cup and constant source of copy Maradona is still in charge. The pantomime continues.

Gonzalo Bergessio - Prizefighter

Nothing dulls the senses and dampens enthusiasm for a forthcoming campaign quite like an insipid pre-season friendly the flip side being a humiliating and confidence shattering defeat, Newcastle United's 6-1 defeat at Leyton Orient springs to mind.

San Lorenzo's 'friendly' against Uruguayan amateur side Atlético El General last Thursday was anything but standard fare. Ciclón striker Gonzalo Bergessio took fighting for the cause all too literally following a tussle with Uruguayan defender Gusmán Elizarzú - punches were thrown mainly by Bergessio who used his not inconsiderable bulk to great effect (View here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoA76V09LCg). Rumours that Elizarzú had made an ill-timed quip about bouncing cheques to the striker are as yet unfounded.... The match was abandoned following the ruck with the Argentines 2-0 up.

Bergessio, like most of his colleagues at San Lorenzo is the source of constant rumours about his future given the club's plight with Villarreal the latest club linked with him. More of a bar room brawler than a cultured fighter, Bergessio could however make some cash bare-knuckle fighting should the bailiffs come calling. With two World Cup qualifiers looming for Argentina the proverbial loose cannon could be a risk too far for Maradona, who hasn't called upon him for the friendly against Russia next week.

The 'opponent' 26 year old warehouse worker Gusmán Elizarzú was understandbly shaken by the affair 'You're crazy' were his final words to the raging Bergessio, later commenting on Bergessio's mass 'Have you seen the muscles on him?, He eats well, I weigh 68kgs and work 9 hours a day' he told Olé. As yet he hasn't spoken to anyone or received an apology from San Lorenzo, he is though willing to forgive but unlikely to forget his 'friendly'.

Hasta Luego!

Montevideo 2 - 0 Buenos Aires

Photo: AFP

The game in Uruguay is widely acknowledged to be in irreversible decline with falling gates and violence in the stands. Great clubs such as Penarol, 5 Libertadores Cup wins and Nacional, 3 Libertadores Cup wins have been unable to capture past glories on the continental stage and the days when the national team ruled the world will never return. Results in this seasons Copa Libertadores demonstrate that this tiny nation can still give it's more illustrious neighbours a bloody nose.

Both River Plate and now Boca Juniors have fallen victim to teams from the other side of the Rio de la Plata. In River's case Nacional contributed to their failure to reach the knockout stages (Los Millionarios beat the Uruguayan's at home but lost 3-0 in Montevideo) although they sealed their own fate by losing in spectacular fashion to already eliminated Nacional of Paraguay. Boca's exit from the competition can be attributed soley to champions Defensor Sporting and their own inability to hold on to a lead. After conceding twice in Uruguay but still having the cushion of 2 away goals the Xeneizes were one decent performance away from meeting Estudiantes in the Quarter Finals. That decent performance was sadly lacking on Thursday, after going 1-0 down to an neat and excellently crafted Diego de Souza goal in the 27th minute (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqzi12MY34Q) the home side didn't exactly lay siege to Defensor's goal. When they did get through they were up against 'keeper Marin Silva in fine form. To put Defensor's victory into perspective it was Boca's first home defeat in this competition since 2003. Uruguayan daily El Pais hailed the 'History Makers' and eulogised about the performance of Martin Silva. Not bad for a club who didn't even exist in their current guise until 1989.

Questions now inevitably turn towards the future of coach Carlos Ischia who is contracted until December and has Carlos Bianchi's excellent Copa Libertadores achievements as a constant reminder - he returned to the club as Technical Director in December. Unfortunately he doesn't even have the clubs league form to fall back on as four wins out of fourteen see them flailing in seventeenth place. Maradona has commented that 'ever since Bianchi returned Ischia has been at the doors of the cemetary'.

Away from the navel gazing at La Bombonera alarm bells should be sounding in the country as a whole, of the five representatives for Argentina in the Libertadores this season only one now remains - Estudiantes. Three of the teams failed to make even the knockout stages, including league leaders Lanús. Contrast this with Brazil's five teams in the last 16. It's now down to Estudiantes and Verón to fly the flag against Defensor.

Hasta Luego!