Maxi would settle for tap-in against Mexico
PRETORIA - Argentina's Maxi Rodriguez would be just as happy with a tap-in as a repeat of his 2006 World Cup wonder goal against Mexico, the winger said on Friday as the teams prepared for a second round repeat clash.
"I hope I get the chance to play and that the team win, and then if I get the possibility of a goal I'll be happy just to push it over the line," Rodriguez said.
He struck the best goal of the Germany finals, a dipping extra-time volley from the right corner of the area into the top far corner of the Mexico net to clinch a 2-1 victory.
The teams meet again in the last 16 at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Sunday with the winners facing a quarter-final against Germany or England.
"It's a very nice memory, everything that happened in that match and the team won which was the important thing," Rodriguez said at Argentina's University of Pretoria camp.
"Now it's important to be calm because this Mexico is a different side, although what matters to us is our own team.
"The situation is quite similar, it was also a stage in which you couldn't err and the team was not as criticised as this time due to our poor qualifiers, but they are matches apart, there are no comparisons.
"Argentina are coming (to this match) in the best form and we hope to press on and leave Mexico behind," he added.
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Rodriguez knows Mexico coach Javier Aguirre from their time together at Atletico Madrid and the midfielder said: "I don't think he'll take the match to us from the first minute.
"They'll sit back and play on the counter... He's a very intelligent coach who knows how to read his rivals."