Romero ready for Germany shootout
Reuters - Tuesday 29 June 2010, 10:31
PRETORIA - Argentina goalkeeper Sergio
Romero is likely to see more action in Saturday's quarter-final
with Germany than he has in their World Cup matches so far.
Romero, who has conceded two goals in four wins, faces one
of the higher scoring attacks at the finals when they meet in a
mouth-watering clash in Cape Town.
The giant 23-year-old knows he must also be prepared for a
penalty shootout which is how Germany eliminated Argentina in
Berlin at the same stage of the 2006 finals.
"We have been studying the penalties of all players since
the World Cup started because we know that at any moment we
might have to face one and you need to know about the taker,"
the 1.92-metre tall Romero said on Tuesday.
In the 2006 quarter-final shootout, Germany goalkeeper Jens
Lehmann benefitted from a crib sheet he had on him with details
of Argentina's likely penalty takers. Germany won it 4-2.
"It was a piece of cunning by them for the goalkeeper to
have a little paper tucked away to know about the players who
were going to shoot," Romero told a news conference.
"I think that with the work we're doing we're ready for any
time in the match, during the 90 minutes or in penalties," he
said after Monday's practice at Argentina's University of
Pretoria base.
'GREAT FORWARDS'
Romero said Germany, who have scored nine goals to
Argentina's 10 in four matches, have "great forwards and great
fighters when they don't have the ball.
"(Lukas) Podolski has a great shot from distance, he always
sets up his left foot to shoot, (Miroslav) Klose chases every
ball, he doesn't give any up for lost, (Mesut) Ozil plays very
well, he's technical, they have tall people who go to all the
corners and free-kicks."
Romero believes he is playing behind a very strong defence
but he needed left back Gabriel Heinze's two clearances off the
line to avoid conceding more goals against the Mexicans in their
3-1 win on Sunday.
"Only two or three balls reach me per match, not more than
that, and I think that means I have a good defence," said the
keeper with the long ponytail who has won the World Youth Cup
and Olympic soccer titles with Argentina.
Romero has been criticised for punching the ball away at
times rather than trying to catch it.
"In a match you can't run any risks," he said. "If you have
to parry, you parry it, if you have to catch it you catch it and
I think that's how a goalkeeper gives his team mates
confidence."
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