Argentina vs Belgium World Cup 2014 team news: Alejandro Sabella makes three changes and Marc Wilmots one as teams fight to reach the final four

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella makes two changes in defence and one in midfield

Tom Sheen
Saturday 05 July 2014 16:33 BST
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Martin Demichelis will start against Belgium for Argentina
Martin Demichelis will start against Belgium for Argentina (Getty Images)

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has made three changes to the team that beat Switzerland on Tuesday.

One of those changes is enforced as left back Marcos Roja picked up a yellow card in the game that means he will have to serve a one game suspension - Monterrey's Jose Maria Basanta will replace the Liverpool target.

The other two changes are tactical, with Sabella opting to shore up a defence that looked shaky against the Swiss.

Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis will make his first appearance of the tournament in replacing Federico Fernandez, while Lucas Biglia, who came on for Fernando Gago in the second half of extra-time against Switzerland, will replace the same man from the start.

Sergio Aguero is still missing because of a thigh problem.

Marc Wilmots makes a change to his starting XI as he continues to search for the right team.

Everton winger Kevin Mirallas was impressive after he was introduced an hour into the win over the USA, and keeps his place over the man he replaced, Dries Mertens.

Divock Origi keeps his place up front ahead of Romelu Lukaku, who scored the second against the USA.

Line-ups:

Argentina: Romero, Garay, Basanta, Zabaleta, Biglia, Mascherano, Demichelis, Di Maria, Higuain, Messi, Lavezzi.

Substitutes: Rodriguez, Capagnaro, Orion, Perez, Palacio, Gago, Andujar, Fernandez, Alvarez, Fernandez.

Belgium: Courtois, Alderweireld, Van Buyten, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Fellaini, Hazard, Mirallas, Origi.

Substitues: Bossut, Lombaerts, Defour, Ciman, Mignolet, Vermaelen, Dembele, Chadli, Mertens, Lukaku, Januzaj.

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