DOMINGUEZ LANDS ARGENTINA CALL

DOMINGUEZ LANDS ARGENTINA CALL

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Sebastian Dominguez have been given his first call-up to the Argentina national squad as coach Diego Maradona added seven home-based players to his party ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Paraguay.

The defender of Argentinian champions Velez Sarsfield will join the Albicelestes along with team-mates Nicolas Otamendi and Emiliano Papa, Boca Juniors midfielder Sebastian Battaglia, Lanus star Eduardo Salvio, Estudiantes playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron and Huracan midfielder Mario Bolatti.

Bolatti made his international debut earlier this month, when Argentina defeated Russia 3-2 in a friendly match in Moscow.

Veron, meanwhile, will join the squad even though he was substituted in the second half of the Apertura derby that Estudiantes won 3-0 over old enemies Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata with a minor leg injury.

Maradona believes Argentina, currently in fourth place in the South American Qualifying Zone, will be virtually assured of a place in the World Cup finals in South Africa next year if they beat the Selecao in Rosario on Saturday.

He told Channel 7: "It will be as tough as all the matches we play against Brazil, but we beat them in illusion. We have the dream of playing the World Cup and we'll be almost in if we beat Brazil."

Newcastle midfielder Jonas Gutierrez has already left the squad due to injury.

Argentina travel to Paraguay to visit the Guaranies four days after the Brazil match.

Argentina squad: Juan Pablo Carrizo (Zaragoza), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Sergio Romero; Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Nicolas Pareja (Espanyol), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Sebastian Dominguez, Emiliano Papa, Nicolas Otamendi (all Velez Sarsfield); Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Jesus Datolo (Napoli), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes), Mario Bolatti (Huracan), Sebastian Battaglia (Boca Juniors); Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Lisandro Lopez (Lyon), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Eduardo Salvio (Lanus).