Argentina 0 Sweden 0

Argentina faced the prospect of becoming the second high profile team to bow out of the World Cup as they kicked off against Sweden today.

Argentina faced the prospect of becoming the second high profile team to bow out of the World Cup as they kicked off against Sweden today.

Sweden v Argentina teams

Sweden v Argentina teams

Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron claimed the penalty converted by Manchester United team-mate David Beckham had forced the South Americans to revise their game plan during the 1-0 defeat by England...

England v Argentina player ratings

England skipper David Beckham completed a one-man revenge mission by kicking England to a win over Argentina in Sapporo this afternoon.

England skipper David Beckham completed a one-man revenge mission by kicking England to a win over Argentina in Sapporo this afternoon.

Argentina have brought Claudio Lopez on for Kily Gonzalez.

Argentina have brought Claudio Lopez on for Kily Gonzalez.

By Frank Malley

Sven-Goran Eriksson brought Nicky Butt into the England side to face Argentina as he opted for a safety-first strategy amid an intensifying World Cup qualification struggle.

Juan Pablo Sorin has joined Roberto Ayala on the injury list as Argentina prepare for tomorrow’s Group F meeting with England in Sapporo.

Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa insists he is thinking only of booking a place in the second round of the World Cup - not of sending England home.

Argentina have made one change to the side which overpowered Nigeria as they prepare to face England in Sapporo tomorrow.

Sven-Goran Eriksson declared that Argentina are by no means ‘‘unbeatable’’ as he insisted he could find weaknesses in a team built around players he helped to nurture to the top.

Gabriel Batistuta has got the nod to spearhead Argentina’s attack against Nigeria in Ibaraki on Sunday.

If there was one consolation for England after being drawn with favourites Argentina in the ‘Group of Death’, it came with the knowledge they will have the inside track on their South American opponents.

The Claudio Lopez of two years’ past struck terror into Europe’s meanest defences, but a lucrative move to Serie A sent his career into a downwards spiral which has only lately shown signs of being arrested.

Argentina’s Matias Almeyda has a score to settle with Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Argentina have announced 12 out of the 23 players that they will take to the World Cup.

Gabriel Batistuta has been left out of the Argentina squad for their World Cup warm-up game with Cameroon on March 27.

Juan Sebastian Veron has admitted that his agent and Lazio have discussed a move back to Rome.

Diego Maradona returned to the field to play his farewell match in front of 50,000 devoted fans in Buenos Aires.

Martin O’Neill wishes Celtic would have been handed an easier UEFA Cup tie than Valencia - but insists his side have nothing to fear.

Lazio won this Champions League tie at the Olimpico stadium in Rome.

Brazil’s hopes of reaching next summer’s World Cup finals suffered a huge blow with a 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Argentina in Buenos Aires.