Romero goes into the Group B match in La Serena (2130 GMT) as Argentina’s most capped keeper with 59 appearances, having broken 1978 World Cup winner Ubaldo Fillol’s record in last week’s 5-0 warm-up win over Bolivia.
He is one of six players in the team whose last competitive match for Copa favourites Argentina was the World Cup final defeat by Germany in Rio de Janeiro last July.
Argentina reached the showpiece game thanks to two penalty saves by Romero in the semi-final shootout following a 0-0 draw after extra time against the Dutch.
Romero is joined by defenders Ezequiel Garay and Marcos Rojo, midfielder Javier Mascherano, captain Lionel Messi and striker Sergio Aguero, who was a substitute in the final.
Aguero sharpened his teeth with a hat-trick against Bolivia to win his place over Carlos Tevez while Angel Di Maria, who missed the Brazil final through injury, scored twice in the warm-up and comes back on the left wing.
Pablo Zabaleta and Lucas Biglia have not made it into the team due to injury.
Argentina are determined to end a 22-year wait for a title since their last Copa triumph after defeats by Brazil in the 2004 and 2007 Copa finals and last year’s World Cup loss to Germany in Rio.
“This generation deserves to achieve something,” Messi said earlier this week. “We felt very bad (after the World Cup final) and now we can get a trophy we desire very much.”
PARAGUAY EXPERIENCE
Coach Gerardo Martino said he owed a debt of gratitude to Paraguay, who he coached to their first World Cup quarter-final in 2010 and the Copa America final in 2011.
“As a coach I owe everything to Paraguay. These boys gave us five marvellous years,” he told reporters on Friday.
In the other Group B match, Uruguay begin the defence of their record 15th title, won in Argentina in 2011, against Jamaica in Antofagasta (1900).
The Jamaicans, making their Copa debut as guests, are such a mystery to the Uruguayans that striker Edinson Cavani said on Thursday they were strong and athletic like all African teams.
Cavani, who will lead the attack in the absence of banned Luis Suarez, later apologised for his geographical faux pas.
Coach Oscar Tabarez was under no illusions on Friday that Jamaica would pose Uruguay problems.
“At this point in the development of football there are no tactically naive or careless teams,” he told reporters.
Suarez misses the tournament after being banned for nine competitive matches by FIFA after biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.
(Reporting by Santiago Torres; Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Share
