Test your football knowledge in our World Cup Quiz

Chelsea's Crespo Will Probably Miss Argentina's Last Group C Match Against Marco van Basten's Holland

Submitted by Pavlos Skoufis on Tue, 20/06/2006 - 01:58.

Argentina head coach Jose Pekerman is expected not to risk losing Chelsea FC striker Hernan Crespo to a second-yellow card in the team's match against Holland and, in doing so, missing the first knockout match of the World Cup 2006.

Argentina Player Photos - Hernan Crespo

The Chelsea striker has already been booked and if he gets a second booking in the last Group C match for Argentina against Holland on Wednesday, he won't be able to play in the first knockout match.

Pekerman has many different options among his strikers, and the Serbia & Montenegro match, which the Albiceleste sensationally won 6-0, helped some get their first World Cup experience under their belts.

But Crespo doesn't want the team to get carried away saying: "The challenge is to maintain this (standard)," Crespo told reporters as the squad prepared for Wednesday's final Group C game with Netherlands in Frankfurt.

"I think the standard reached against Serbia is quite difficult to improve on because we gave nothing away defensively and were overpowering up front. Argentina are taking great advantage of their chances and that's very important."

One player who impressed Pekerman is the Corinthians striker Carlos Tevez, who scored a goal within seconds after coming in as a late substitute against Serbia and Montenegro.

His skills and abilities on the pitch have been frequently praised by Argentina's legend Diego Maradona - high praise indeed.

The 6-0 victory over Serbia & Montenegro surprised many and now Argentina is among the favourites to win the tournament, along with the hosts Germany, England and defending World Champions Brazil.