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Argentina team begins closed-door training
2006-06-04 18:44:22 xinhuanet

BERLIN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's national soccer team Sunday began closed-door training in a sports center in Herzogenaurach, south east Germany, where the team is staying ahead of its World Cup opener against Cote d'Ivoire on June 10.

The team worked both morning and afternoon with trainer Jose Pekerman, who gave them a break to see their families.

The team which will play the opening match is the same one which won a 2-0 victory over Angola, although some last minute changes are possible: Javier Solana might join Hernan Crespo as a forward, and Carlos Tevez or Lionel Messi might be added at the last minute.

Messi's potential addition to the team took many commentators as a surprise, as he has been suffering a severe injury, which kept him from playing for 84 days.

On Sunday morning, one group of players reviewed tactics with Pekerman and practiced their ball skills. The remaining players played a six-a-side match.

Argentina, which won the Wold Cup in 1978 and 1986, will play its second Group C match against Serbia and Montenegro, in Gelsenkirchen on June 16. Its last group match will be on June 20 against the Netherlands in Frankfurt. Enditem

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