Maradona stays calm as Brazil tame Argentina

By Dylan King

Monday, September 07, 2009

ARGENTINA boss Diego Maradona claimed he isn’t alarmed by his side’s precarious qualifying position after Saturday’s 3-1 loss to rivals Brazil at the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito in Rosario, a result for which he took full responsibility.

Maradona must now take his beleaguered squad to Paraguay for a meeting with Gerardo Martino’s ever-combative side with only two points separating them from Colombia and Ecuador in fifth and sixth respectively.

"I’m feeling composed. There’s no cause for alarm," said a calm but clearly downcast Maradona in the wake of the 3-1 defeat. "It won’t be easy to go to Paraguay, but we’ll see what solutions we can find for our problems and try and take the three points. Anything can happen in football as today’s game showed. We had to beat Brazil and we lost. There’s no time for feeling sorry for yourself, though. You have to keep looking forward."

A brace by Luis Fabiano followed Luisao’s opener to give Brazil victory, while Jesus Datolo reduced the deficit for the hosts.

Despite the defeat, Maradona backed his team. "I’ve got no complaints about my players," he said. "I wasn’t happy when Bolivia thrashed us, but I’ve got nothing to say today. We started better than Brazil and then they go and score with their first two chances. It was all uphill for us after that but let’s make one thing clear: the responsibility is all mine.

"We didn’t have a chance. We had to take risks and when we fell behind we had to go and look for an equaliser. Brazil have got some great players and they hit us at just the right times. They beat us comfortably."

On the bright side for Maradona, he has no injury or suspension worries and will be able to select from a full squad for the decisive meeting with Paraguay.

Striker Carlos Tevez is also hoping Argentina can bounce back. "I’m angry we lost today and that we’re in this situation now," said a frustrated Tevez. "I thought we were the better side today but they had three chances and took the lot. We need to keep on working and stay strong. It won’t be easy in Paraguay but we’ll be going there to fight. We need to win."

Opposing coach Dunga believed intelligence and discipline were crucial as the Selecao became the first South American team to make it to South Africa 2010.

"We knew it was going to be tough, but I told my players that if we finished the game with all the players on the field, we were going to win it," said the 1994 winning captain. We tried to play tough, firm, but trying to not get carded. We always tried to play. Brazil were very focused on the game all the time, trying to play with speed in the right moments. They are a big national team, with Messi possibly named the best player all over the world. It was tough, but technical quality prevailed."

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, September 07, 2009