Argentina prepare for World Cup qualifier

Buenos Aires:

With the same players he inherited from his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa, new Argentina coach Jose Pekerman is preparing his team for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against old rivals Uruguay in Buenos Aires. But from the beginning, Pekerman is signalling that his tactics will differ substantially from those of Bielsa. But this doesn't necessarily mean that the team will play defensively as Pekerman is expected to encourage his players to find new and more effective ways to go forward with two strikers instead of three and more players in midfield. Pekerman, 53, is has had a successful career as a coach with three World Youth Championships under his belt in the six years he coached the national youth team. Now, though, he faces the challenge of leading the senior team. Argentina, second in the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group with 15 points from eight games, face Uruguay in Buenos Aires on Saturday. They then travel to Santiago to face Chile on October 13. (AP)