Soccer: Lux out - and now Maradona wades into fray

Goalkeeping Argentina-style has blended brilliance with controversy and heroism at World Cups. Ubaldo Fillol, who starred in their first crown in 1978, is the country's last truly world-class custodian.

His successor, Nery Pumpido, endured injuries yet helped Diego Maradona's side to glory in 1986.

But doubts hang over Argentina's No 1 jersey going into this World Cup.

Argentines are still debating the exclusion of River Plate's German Lux from Jose Pekerman's squad - apparently to make way for untested teenager Oscar Ustari.

An indignant Maradona said: "You can't pass from being the second keeper, fighting for the first place with Pato Abbondanzieri, to being left off the list. It stinks ... "

Fillol, as Argentina's goalkeeping coach, may have had a part in the decision to axe Lux, who helped Argentina win the Olympic gold medal in 2004 and reach the Confederations' Cup final in Germany last year.

Lux's shaky form and that of his club, however, seem to have conspired against him. But first-choice keeper Abbondanzieri has shown shaky form, conceding three goals apiece against England and Croatia in the last six months. "We never talked of a definitive keeper," Pekerman said after the 3-2 loss to Croatia in March.

Pekerman's assistant coach, Hugo Tocalli, is also a former goalkeeper and both he and Fillol may have felt the good form of Atletico Madrid's Leo Franco provided the better cover for Abbondanzieri in Germany.

Franco, a World Youth Cup winner in Malaysia under Pekerman in 1997, has been a regular squad member for some time but won only three caps since his debut in 2004.

Ustari, who emulated Franco's youth success in the Lionel Messi-inspired team in the Netherlands last year, would be a popular choice for the No 1 shirt, having had a brilliant domestic season, but he has no senior international experience.

Selecting the right back-up is crucial at a World Cup, where losing your best keeper can have dire consequences. Alf Ramsay's England suffered when Gordon Banks was taken ill before the 1970 quarter-final against West Germany in Mexico.

Pumpido broke his leg against Russia in Argentina's second group game in Italy in 1990 - but that opened the way for Sergio Goycochea's penalty heroics. He saved a string of spot-kicks in shoot-outs against Yugoslavia and hosts Italy to help Maradona's defending champions reach the final. In 1994, Luis Islas' poor positioning at a free kick helped Romania to put Argentina out in the second round.

Carlos Roa brought back memories of Goycochea in France in 1998 when his shoot-out saves sent Argentina into the quarter-finals at England's expense. England avenged that defeat in Japan in 2002 when Pablo Cavallero was beaten by David Beckham's penalty.

Argentina's early exit in 2002, however, was not down to Cavallero but a lack of punch in their opponents' box.

Pekerman noted this and has picked more strikers than his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa. But he will still need a good goalkeeper.

- REUTERS