BUENOS AIRES: Fernando Cavenaghi, who leads French club Bordeaux with 16 goals this season, on Tuesday became the biggest addition to the Argentine national team roster for a March 26 friendly at two-time defending African champion Egypt.
Manager Alfio Basile said all eyes would be on Cavenaghi in Cairo, but he was looking to a team composed entirely of European-based players for a strong performance.
We are going to see Cavenaghi in action. But I want to see everyone performing, Basile said in announcing the roster Tuesday. It s going to be a very difficult match given Egypt isn t African champion for nothing.
The biggest absences were not a surprise: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona tore a thigh muscle in a European Champions League match March 5, and Carlos Tevez of Manchester United requested a rest. Meanwhile, Hernan Crespo at Inter Milan limped off with a slight injury from Saturday s Italian league game and likewise was not summoned.
Basile said he thought Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid, another one called for the Cairo match, was in form.
The clash with Egypt is another tune- up match ahead of the June resumption of World Cup qualifying en route to South Africa 2010.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe, Spain), Oscar Ustari (Getafe, Spain), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands).
Defense:
Gabriel Milito (Barcelona, Spain), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid, Spain), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich, Germany), Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol, Spain), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan, Italy), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan, Italy), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain).
Midfield:
Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid, Spain), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan, Italy), Luis Gonzalez (Porto, Portugal).
Forwards:
Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Julio Cruz (Inter Milan, Italy), Lisandro Lopez (Porto, Portugal), Fernando Cavenaghi (Bordeaux, France), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli, Italy).
