MONTEVIDEO — Diego Maradona’s Argentina are dangerous because of the players he has regardless of the team’s struggles in the World Cup qualifiers, Uruguay coach Oscar Washington Tabárez said yesterday.
Argentina face Uruguay in a River Plate classic at the iconic Centenario today in their final 2010 qualifier looking to get at least the draw that will send them to the South Africa finals.

Uruguay, who are a point behind, must win to snatch that berth and consign Maradona’s team to a playoff or even elimination from the World Cup for the first time since 1970 if Ecuador beat qualified Chile in Santiago.
Argentina have struggled through the qualifiers under Maradona this year, losing four and only sneaking back into fourth, which are an automatic qualifying berth, with a dramatic, last-gasp 2-1 home win over Peru on Saturday.

Maradona’s Argentina, who have done little tactical work ahead of matches and have been subject to his selection whims, look good in flashes going forward but lack a recognisable shape.

They have struggled to finish moves in the net despite boasting forwards of the calibre of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Agüero and Gonzalo Higuaín.

The top four in South America, with Brazil, Paraguay and Chile already through, qualify for the finals while the fifth meets the CONCACAF’s fourth-placed team in a two-leg playoff for one more berth.    

FINAL PRACTCE. Prior to departing on a chartered flight to Montevideo, the Argentine national soccer team had a practise session with the players chosen by coach Maradona for the decisive match against Uruguay today at 7 pm. The players were:Sergio Romero; Nicolás Otamendi, Rolando Schiavi, Martín Demichelis, Gabriel Heinze; Jonás Gutiérrez, Javier Mascherano, Juan Sebastián Verón, Angel Di María; Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuaín.