Argentina goalkeeper: team studying Germany’s penalty kick techniques ahead of quarterfinal

Romero: Argentina is preparing for shootout

PRETORIA, South Africa — Argentina is studying Germany’s penalty kick techniques ahead of their World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.

Diego Maradona’s team is hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2006 quarterfinals, when Germany beat Argentina 4-2 in a shootout.

Jens Lehmann stopped spot kicks from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso in Berlin after consulting a sheet of the Argentine penalty takers and the direction they usually took their kicks.

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero said Monday that was a “smart move” by the Germans, and that Argentina has copied the tactic by studying videos of how opponents take penalties.

“This time we have to be well prepared for everything,” Romero said. “In that moment it was a very smart move on their part, saving a piece of paper to know who was going to take the kick.”

While Argentina has added Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain to its starting lineup, Germany’s traditional strengths have been supplemented by an injection of young players since the meeting four years ago.

“Germany has tall and powerful players who go up for all the corners and free kicks,” Romero said, adding that striker Lukas Podolski “has a great shot” and Mesut Oezil “chases down every ball and never gives anything up”.

One of the holdovers from the 2006 Germany squad is striker Miroslav Klose. He scored the opening goal in Germany’s 4-1 win in the second round against England to tie Pele at 12 World Cup goals overall.

“He’s very dangerous and he can score a goal against you at any moment,” Romero said of the Bayern Munich striker.

Argentina and Germany have faced each other in two World Cup finals. In 1986, the South Americans won 3-2 with Maradona at his peak. Four years later the Germans won 1-0 to lift the trophy.