Aguirre looking forward to rematch against Argentina

By Peter Auf der Heyde Jun 22, 2010, 19:07 GMT

Rustenburg, South Africa - Mexican coach Javier Aguirre said Tuesday that he was looking forward to facing Argentina in the next round of 16 after his team finished second in Group A.

'We wanted to go through and we have managed that. We will try to recover for the round of 16. This is a nice possibility to get even for what happened four years ago,' he said.

At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Argentina needed extra-time to beat Mexico 2-1 in the round of the last 16 and the two teams will, in all probability, face each other again in Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium on Sunday.

Argentina needed only a draw in their final match against Greece in Group B later Tuesday to be assured of winning their group and setting up a clash with the Mexicans.

Aguirre said Mexico had been determined to advance, despite losing 1-0 to group winners Uruguay earlier in the day.

Even though Mexico went into the game knowing that a defeat for them and a high-scoring victory for either South Africa or France in the other game that was being played at the same time could see Mexico eliminated, Aguirre said he did not concentrate on the other game in Bloemfontein.

At one stage, South Africa was leading 2-0 against a 10-man French side, while Mexico was down 1-0 and another two-goal-swing could have seen the hosts through.

'We were not concentrating on the score in South Africa, we were concentrating on our team. I did not tell the players what was happening in the other game.

'We are now one of the best 16 countries in the world and like the other 15 teams, we are trying to be the best in the world.'

He was critical of his side's performance, though, and said he believed his players were lacking the will to win.

'I guess what we were lacking was attitude. It seemed we did not want to win the game, we were afraid and scared and only later did we tried to recover.

'The next match we will have to play and fight again, like we did before,' he said.

As both sides knew that they would advance to the next round with a victory, there was speculation in the run-up to the match that the sides would play for a draw.

Aguirre dismissed such talk. 'I think Uruguay started well, they played well and I think FIFA can rest assured that we wanted to win, we were not striving for a draw.

'We wanted to top the group and we played for a win and we were loyal to our style. We only lost by one goal.'