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Diego Maradona celebrates Argentina making through to the 2010 World Cup - Source: Reuters -
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Mario Bolatti stabbed in a late goal to give Argentina a 1-0 win at Uruguay on Thursday and send Diego Maradona's side to the World Cup finals.
Bolatti netted five minutes after coming on as a substitute to clinch Argentina the fourth automatic qualification spot from the South American region, joining already-qualified Brazil, Paraguay and Chile.
Uruguay now face a two-legged playoff against the fourth-placed team from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The visitors had started the match in danger of missing out on the World Cup for the first time since 1970. A loss to Uruguay coupled with an Ecuador win in Chile would have produced that scenario.
However, Maradona was celebrating wildly on the touchline after Bolatti's goal guaranteed them a spot in the finals next year in South Africa.
The talisman of Argentine soccer wept and hugged members of his coaching team in an outpouring of emotion at the final whistle.
Having replaced Alfio Basile as coach midway through the qualification campaign, Maradona's credentials for the job had been widely questioned after his side lost to Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and at home to Brazil.
"I want to dedicate this to all the Argentines," he told Argentine television. "I thank the squad."
Relief but fans not fooled yet
But although Football-obsessed Argentines sighed with relief the last-gasp victory did little to dispel disillusionment with coach Diego Maradona.
"It's a relief, I feel okay about it. But we're not heading to the cup in good shape. Maradona as a player was everything, but he's really bad as a coach," said parking attendant Marcos Segura, 28, in Buenos Aires.
Expectations are high in Argentina, a traditional football powerhouse and twice world champion where national pride is strongly tied to soccer prowess.
Argentina and neighbouring Brazil usually easily qualify to go to the World Cup and Argentina's current national team includes some of the world's top players.
Silence fell over Buenos Aires as fans tuned into the match being played across the River Plate in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. Argentina needed a victory or a draw to guarantee not missing the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
"I was really scared Argentina would be eliminated, and it was close," said Marcelo Rodriguez, a 38-year-old lawyer, who watched the game in Argentine Atlantic beach resort city Mar del Plata.
Serious contender
Revered as Argentina's greatest player of all time, Maradona has struggled since taking over the team last year with no coaching experience, drawing criticism he isn't prepared to lead the team.
"The anguish is over: Argentina is going to the World Cup," Clarin newspaper's website said after the game.
Under Maradona the team has been plagued by lacklustre play despite having Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the world's best player.
After winning some early friendlies, Argentina failed to maintain winning ways, even suffering a humiliating 6-1 loss to Bolivia, traditionally one of South America's weaker teams.
Some Argentine sports commentators suggested Maradona should step down even if the team managed to qualify, arguing the team needs a new direction to be a serious contender.
Argentines have been especially critical of Maradona as celebrated Argentine coaches led neighbouring rivals Paraguay and Chile to berths in the South Africa 2010 World Cup.
Many turned on Maradona in recent months, openly criticising him and questioning whether he had the discipline to turn his on-field wizardry into success as a coach.
"Up until now the national team has been a disaster, playing badly. And that's bad because Argentina is obsessed with football," said Luis Guerrero, 45, a bar manager in Buenos Aires.
To qualify, "we had to wait until the very last game."
