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Di Maria in race to be fit for final

Di Maria in race to be fit for final

Argentina winger Angel Di Maria has intensified his efforts of getting fit in time to play in the World Cup final against Germany.

The Real Madrid player, who is recovering from a thigh injury he suffered in the quarter-final against Belgium, jogged around the pitch, did short sprints and trained at the gym at Argentina's camp outside Belo Horizonte.

The rest of the Argentina squad did recovery exercises after their penalty-shootout semi-final win over the Netherlands on Wednesday.

"We are not in the final for nothing, it did not happen by chance. We have played a great World Cup," striker Sergio Aguero told reporters after training.

Aguero recalled the 2010 World Cup quarter-final in which Germany gave Argentina a 4-0 pounding and said they made "mistakes" that the South Americans should not make again.

"A set-piece changed the game for us," he said of Germany's first goal in that match.

Aguero said that Argentina "have to win" the final.

"Germany are a great opponent and have been in every World Cup. We have to stick to our game and have to win the match whatever it takes," he said.

He referred to the 7-1 thrashing that Germany dealt hosts Brazil in the semi-final Tuesday.

"Germany are a great team, and what happened to Brazil can happen to any team," he warned. "They kill you when they find spaces." However, Aguero stressed that Argentina know their strengths.

"Germany will be worrying about us, they know we have players who can cause harm up-front," he said.

"Many did not believe Argentina would get into the final. When we got through the quarter-finals, we said the game against Netherlands was one we could win. It was a chess game against the Netherlands, and we managed to win it," Aguero said.

The side will train behind closed doors on Friday, and is scheduled to fly to Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, on the eve of the final in Rio's Maracana stadium.