FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.06.2010 11:12

Qualification beckons for Leo Messi

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Leo Messi’s Argentina face South Korea this afternoon, while there is Barça interest in both teams as France and Mexico go head to head in a crunch encounter.

Argentina could virtually assure their place in the last sixteen this afternoon (13.30 CET) as they face South Korea. Both sides won their opening matches, the Koreans 2-0 against a poor Greek side and Argentina 1-0 against Nigeria. The South Americans looked impressive in that game, but one also gets the impression that they will have much more to offer as the tournament progresses.

Messi content with progress

Leo Messi failed to get on the scoresheet against the Nigerians, but showed plenty of the Barça magic that he was sometimes accused of failing to produce in Argentina’s qualifying matches. But now Messi believes that “everything has changed from the qualifiers. The approach has changed completely and the behaviour of the players.

Before we weren't a group and we often played badly. We couldn't get the win and we were subjected to criticism. We are motivated, we train hard and we see the fruit of our work. We are a different Argentina.” But he was less enthusiastic when asked for his opinion of the vuvuzela horns that have become the iconic sound of this World Cup. “It is impossible to communicate, it’s like being deaf” he complained.

Argentina manager Diego Maradona is confident that Argentina have what it takes to beat South Korea, a side he points out “don't have a Messi, but they're a very strong collective block, they're fast, they have a good team … They're to be respected but we're going out to win that match. We don't know how to speculate with a result

The other game in the group features Greece and Nigeria, two sides that will need a result or they could be heading home much earlier than they had hoped.

Barça versus Barça

The evening fixture sees France take on Mexico. Both sides seemed reasonably satisfied to draw their respective opening matches, but will need to produce a little more tonight. FCB’s Eric Abidal knows that only too well. “Against Mexico we have to play for a win and nothing less” he said. “In 2006 it was the same, we began with a 0-0 draw with Switzerland, but slowly but surely victories followed victories. We have to be able to step up a gear and make it out of the first round.”

Eric Abidal played the full ninety minutes of the draw with Uruguay in the unfamiliar position of centre back, while Thierry Henry came on as a late replacement for Nicolas Anelka.

Marquez respects the French

Meanwhile, Rafa Marquez, captain of the Mexican side, scored the equaliser to put a dampener on the party mood in Johannesburg after South Africa had taken the lead in their World Cup opener. He knows that it won’t be easy against the 2006 runners up. “We know the power they have, the quality they have and at any time they can change everything” he said this week. “They are great players with great qualities and we cannot trust that they have not scored yet because we know they have the quality to do it.”

After Uruguay convincingly saw off the hosts South Africa on Wednesday evening, defeat for either France or Mexico tonight would leave their qualification hopes in serious jeopardy.