Royal Institute for Traditional Arts launches training on Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art    Nearly 2 million worshippers prayed in Rawdah at Prophet's Mosque during Hajj 1446    Saudi Arabia expands tech talent schools to five regions for 2025    Aubameyang exits Al Qadsiah as club turns to youth with Retegui signing    France withdraws troops from Senegal, ending military presence in West Africa    Germany's Merz and UK's Starmer sign 'first of its kind' defense and migration treaty    Norway leads Europe's best airports list    Syrian forces leave Sweida after ceasefire with Druze militias goes into effect    Main stage at Belgium's Tomorrowland music festival completely destroyed by fire    Sports vehicles can have now short number plates    Saudi Arabia draw Iraq and Indonesia in 2026 World Cup Asian play-off group    Saudi conjoined twins Yara and Lara successfully separated in 12.5-hour surgery    Babies made using three people's DNA are born free of hereditary disease    'Art of the Kingdom' exhibition to open in Beijing's National Museum on July 30    Saudi minister holds strategic AI and tech talks with French institutions in Paris    ASICS and Saudi Sports for All launch startup pitch to boost sports innovation in Saudi Arabia    Youth-led Saudi businesses exceed 474K    Scientists recover proteins from a 24 million-year-old rhino fossil    Jorge Jesus returns to Saudi Arabia as Al Nassr head coach on one-year deal    Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon title    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Mexico prepares to counter Messi factorBy Rex Gowar
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 27 - 06 - 2010

Mexico fears that a first goal at this World Cup from Argentina's Lionel Messi in the second round Sunday could dash its hopes of revenge for its defeat by the same opponent at the same stage four years ago.
Argentina, which won the 2006 meeting 2-1 after extra time, and Mexico meet at Soccer City (1830 GMT) outside Johannesburg looking for a place in the quarterfinals against England or Germany.
Barcelona club mates Messi and Rafael Marquez, who scored Mexico's early opener in that match in Leipzig, come face to face again after the Argentine came on as a substitute near the end of normal time on his 19th birthday.
“We know it's difficult to get the ball off him, he's so quick and can change direction or pace at any time,” Marquez said Friday. “(Argentina) has the best player in the world.”
Messi has never been on the losing side in three meetings with Mexico and scored a superb goal in the 3-0 victory at the 2007 Copa America and another in a 4-1 win in a friendly in San Diego two years ago.
Yet to get off the mark in South Africa although he has created a string of chances and hit the woodwork twice, Messi's sole World Cup goal to date was in the 6-0 rout of Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.
Coach Diego Maradona, when comparing his impact in 1986 to Messi's now, reeled off a list of Argentine scorers at the Mexico finals and said “I came to the team's aid when they needed me” suggesting Messi will do the same.
Argentina's attack has been scintillating and with Mexico also expected to retain a three-man attack, it should be as good an encounter as that four years ago when Hernan Crespo equalized and Maxi Rodriguez volleyed an extra-time winner voted goal of the tournament.
“Defensively, (Argentina) is not the best, it has a great attack but its weakness is on the flanks. We must plan the game properly to play our best,” Marquez told reporters.
Jonas Gutierrez, likely to return on the right of Argentina's defense after serving a suspension, said he was comfortable whether he had Juan Sebastian Veron or Rodriguez playing in front of him.
Maradona admitted Saturday that he is concerned by the threat posed by Mexico's attacking players.
“Mexico has Rafael Marquez, (Andres) Guardado, Giovanni Dos Santos, many players that worry us,” said Maradona.
He also spoke of his admiration for Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, the former boss of Atletico Madrid who is in his second stint at the national team helm.
“I respect him a lot, we spoke at length with Kun (Sergio Aguero) and Maxi (Rodriguez, both of whom played under Aguirre at Atletico),” said Maradona.
“We're in great shape, of course there's always few small things to solve within the group but it's not easy to go from being nobodies in your country and then going on to win three (World Cup) matches and keeping your concentration,” he said.
“People said we were a disaster, the worst team they'd ever seen, now they're saying we're an excellent team. We have the same players.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.