Bookmakers have made today's match between Uruguay and Mexico the first in living memory which is odds-on to finish as draw. With both teams needing a point to advance to the next round, the match will inevitably be scrutinised for any sign of the two sides playing for a point apiece.
Javier Aguirre, the Mexico coach, said they will be aiming for the win that would see them avoid Argentina in the last 16. “We're looking for the three points, like we did against South Africa and France,” he said. “We're not thinking about any other result.”
There has been intense speculation in Mexico and Uruguay that both teams have come to an arrangement to play for a draw. But Aguirre denied it. “We're going to try to win and I'm sure that Uruguay will do the same,” he said.
Uruguay's coach, Oscar Tabárez, also dismissed the suggestion: “We don't want to go out and just defend against Mexico.” He said he had not “heard any reason to believe” that both teams would play for a draw.
If today's game in Rustenburg does finish level, Uruguay will top the group by virtue of their superior goal difference. Both teams impressed in their opening two matches. Mexico took a point from the hosts and then beat France and Uruguay drew with the troubled French and crushed Bafana Bafana's dreams with a comprehensive 3-0 victory.
For Mexico, Manchester United's new signing Javier Hernández may get the nod ahead of the veteran Guillermo Franco. But it was the 22-year-old Hernández who made headlines when he scored the opening goal as a substitute against France. Carlos Vela, who also started in the two previous matches, is injured and Aguirre may decide to go with Pablo Barrera, the forward who replaced Vela when he was injured in the first half against France.
Uruguay will retain the line-up which beat South Africa 3-0 so convincingly in Pretoria, all but ending the host nation's hopes of progressing. Diego Forlán and Luis Suárez have made a mockery of suggestions that players who impressed during a long European season are too fatigued to peak at the World Cup. The pair, who scored 70 goals between them for Atlético Madrid and Ajax respectively, were in form against South Africa, with Forlán scoring two.
“We’re raring to go,” Suárez said. “We have one single objective here — our mindset since we started has been to win the group.” The situation brings to mind 1982's clash between Austria and West Germany, when they played out a result that allowed the Germans to progress and put Algeria out. Such was the outrage that Fifa changed the rules so that the final group matches all took place at the same time.
William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said it was the first time he could remember the draw being odds on in a football match.
“No one is suggesting anything untoward, but when both sides appear to be suited by a stalemate people tend to bet that that's what will happen and the betting market will therefore reflect that opinion.”
© Guardian News and Media 2010
