Pekerman worried about missed chances

Jun 25, 2006, 0:54 GMT

Leipzig - Argentine coach Jose Pekerman on Saturday said he was pleased that his side had advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup even though they had failed to score enough goals when they dominated play in Leipzig against Mexico.

He said that he had always expected the game to be difficult. 'Mexico is a very strong side and we knew that. We did not go into the match thinking that it would be easy.

'I realised that we were having some problems with the high balls and we adjusted those problems and then it was easier.'

Pekerman said it was a problem that his side had not managed to score when they were dominating the game. 'There was a period in the game when we had more possession. I am worried that we did not score during this time and that is something that we need to work at.'

In Saturday's match Maxi Rodriguez was the hero for his side as he volleyed a spectacular 98th-minute winner to rally the South Americans past Mexico 2-1, lifting them into a hard-won quarter-final clash with hosts Germany.

Mexico enjoyed the best possible start as Rafael Marquez gave them the lead in the sixth minute as he scored after a corner kick.

Argentina needed just four minutes to equalize though after a corner of their own when Hernan Crespo and Mexico's striker Jared Borgetti tussled for the ball and it seemed as if Borgetti scrambled it into his own net, but Crespo was quick to claim the goal as his own, pointing to his shoes.

Both sides then had a number of chances, but as neither side managed to find the net the game went into extra time, which Rodriguez settled with a volley from the corner of the area after chesting down a cross by captain Juan Sorin.

With his third goal of the tournament, the Atletico Madrid midfielder set up Argentina to meet Germany on Friday at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

Rodriguez, who was nominated as the Man of the Match, admitted that the shot had been a speculative one. 'I chested it down and just hit it. It could have gone into the stands, but it went into the goal.

'After the goal it became a bit easier for us, we settled down a bit and that helped us. It was not that difficult then.'

Mexican coach Ricardo La Volpe said he believed his side had shown to the world during the competition that they can play good football and compete with some of the best teams in the world.

'What we lacked against Argentina was luck. That is one thing that one needs to become successful and we did not have that. They scored a goal from nowhere.

'There are, of course, other things also, but I think we managed to compete with them on an equal footing.'