Peru ready to be spoiler in WC quali vs. Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- Peru is preparing to hand Argentina its most humiliating and damaging loss Saturday, leaving the Gauchos on the brink of missing next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Argentina has lost its past three qualifiers - and scored only one goal in the process. A loss against Peru, bottom of the South American qualifying standings, would be a new low for coach Diego Maradona and his struggling team.

"What I want is to beat Argentina,'' Peru defender Carlos Zambrano said. "Those Argentine players will be crying and watching the World Cup next year on television.''

Argentina has won the World Cup twice - led by Maradona in 1986 - but the next few days could decide if this team even gets to play in South Africa. Argentina last missed a World Cup in 1970.

The World Cup would lack a certain edge without one of the world's strongest football nations. The absence of its many stars would also frustrate sponsors and FIFA.

After hosting Peru on Saturday, it will travel to bitter rival and neighbor Uruguay. Argentina needs to win both games, otherwise it could be out of the World Cup or facing a difficult intercontinental playoff in November.

Also on Saturday, Chile visits Colombia, Ecuador hosts Uruguay and Paraguay travels to Venezuela. On Sunday, Brazil plays at Bolivia, with the final five qualifiers set for Wednesday.

Brazil and Paraguay have already clinched two of the four qualifying places from South America. Chile is next with 27 points and positioned well to be the third qualifier. Then follows Ecuador with 23, Argentina with 22 and Uruguay and Venezuela with 21. Colombia has 20.

If Argentina finishes fifth it faces a playoff with the No. 4 team from CONCACAF for another berth. If it finishes sixth or lower, it's out.

Maradona, who took the job a year ago with next to no coaching experience, is being blamed for failing to assemble a winning team despite a squad filled with big-name stars.

Rated by some as the world's greatest ever player, Maradona has so far failed as a coach. In six World Cup qualifiers under Maradona, Argentina has won only two, scoring six goals - including a 4-0 win over Venezuela.

"The same people who elevated Maradona to God status are the ones who are destroying him now,'' columnist Reynaldo Sietecase wrote in Thursday's edition of newspaper "Critica.''

Maradona's erratic behavior has always made headlines, and now it seems to be hurting team confidence. Maradona has called up 76 players in a year, and the team seldom practices until late afternoon because Maradona says he likes to sleep late.

Last month, Maradona disappeared for 11 days without telling anyone - including the president of the Argentine federation, Julio Grondona - to go to an Italian spa to lose weight and escape the stress back home.

During his stay, Italian authorities confiscated earrings worth $5,900 as partial payment on a tax bill outstanding from when he used to play for Napoli.

Earlier this week, Maradona threatened to resign after the next two matches - even if Argentina reaches the World Cup. In a poll the next day by "Critica,'' 75 percent said he should go - no matter what.

In a news conference on Thursday he said he was misquoted.

"I'm not going to resign and I'm not leaving,'' he said. "I want to make this clear. It's not true that I said I'm leaving.''

Maradona is promising more changes on Saturday, and an attacking team. He's likely to hand two players their first caps - Liverpool fullback Emiliano Insua and Estudiantes midfielder Enzo Perez.

Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, who has played only one game for the national team, is expected to play up front with Barcelona's Lionel Messi. The midfield playmaker will be Benfica's Pablo Aimar, who last played for Argentina two years ago.

Of the 11 players expected to start on Saturday, only six started in the previous match - a 1-0 lost to Paraguay.

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has run into problems with Maradona and seems sure to be on the bench. Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero - Maradona's son-in-law - is also likely to be out of the starting 11.

Tevez has been forced to defend himself over charges he's not giving 100 percent. Barcelona forward Messi has also failed to produce goals for Argentina.

Messi is indispensable for us,'' Maradona said. "He's our ace of spades. The criticism goes in one ear and out the other.''

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