PARIS — Argentina can all but secure its place at the 2014 World Cup Finals in neighboring Brazil with a win in Friday night's qualifier against Colombia at River Plate's Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. However, Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella was still waiting on the eve of the game to see whether Lionel Messi would be fit enough to take his place in the starting lineup. The Barcelona star hardly featured for his club toward the end of the season because of a hamstring injury, and while he was named in the squad for this month's qualifying double-header against the Colombians and Ecuador, a decision was only due to be taken on his fitness after Thursday's training session. “His leg is OK, but we need to see how fit he is after so long without playing,” Sabella said of Messi, who has played in his country's last 32 matches. Messi's importance to Argentina is obvious, with Celta Vigo midfielder Augusto Fernandez saying: “He can make the difference with one leg, that's why we want him to play.” If Messi does not start, Roma's Erik Lamela and Walter Montillo of Brazilian club Santos are both potential replacements, but there is still a fearsome amount of quality available to Sabella, with Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain likely to start in attack. Group leader Argentina is four points clear of Ecuador and five ahead of third-placed Colombia, whose attack will be led by Radamel Falcao, the former River Plate striker. Coached by Jose Pekerman, the Argentine who took his native country to the 2006 World Cup, Colombia is looking to qualify for the Finals for the first time since France ‘98. “We are not scared of Argentina. Our players are all performing well for their clubs just now and that gives us confidence,” said Inter Milan midfielder Freddy Guarin. Since losing 4-0 to Argentina a year ago, Ecuador has won four and drawn two of its last six qualifiers to close in on a return to the Finals after missing out on South Africa in 2010. It goes to Lima to face a Peru side which desperately needs a win to revive its qualification hopes, and Reinaldo Rueda's visiting side is likely to be able to call on the services of Lokomotiv Moscow dangerman Felipe Caicedo for the game. Later Friday night, Chile, which currently occupies the fourth and final automatic qualifying berth, travels to Asuncion to face struggling Paraguay. Paraguay has reached the knockout stages of the last four World Cups and was beaten finalist in the 2011 Copa America, but it is bottom of the group with just eight points from 11 qualifiers so must take advantage of the fact that four of its last five matches are at home. Chile has been inconsistent in this qualifying campaign but beat Uruguay 2-0 in its last outing in March to sit level on points with Venezuela, which remains in contention to qualify for the Finals for the first time. City captures Fernandinho Manchester City has signed Brazil midfielder Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk, the Premier League club said Thursday. The pacy 28-year-old had been on City's radar for much of the season and is known in England for scoring in the Ukrainian club's 2-1 victory at home to Chelsea in the Champions League group stages last season. City, which has yet to appoint a successor to sacked manager Roberto Mancini, did not give any financial details of the deal but British media have widely reported the transfer fee to be about 30 million pounds ($46.17 million). — Agencies
