As Argentina took their first tentative steps towards World Cup redemption over the weekend, Gabriel Heinze was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

While the row between the English Football Association and Manchester United over the fitness or otherwise of England striker Wayne Rooney has erupted into public view at this World Cup, fellow Old Trafford star Heinze's own battle against injury has been overlooked.

Sidelined since September by ruptured cruciate ligaments, the tough-tackling defender managed only a couple of reserve team outings before linking up with his international team-mates. Given Heinze had already offered ample proof of his desire to represent his country by defying Sir Alex Ferguson's warnings to appear in the Athens Olympics two years ago, the United boss presumably felt any warnings to the 28-year-old over his long-term health were a waste of time.

In any case, judging by his no-holds-barred battle with Didier Drogba at the AOL Arena as Argentina beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in the opening game of Group C on Saturday, Heinze's health is not an issue.
"My knee feels great," he smiled afterwards. "It was important for me to get onto the pitch and show I am back and I am fit. "There were a few hard tackles going in because it was a very physical game but thankfully, there are no problems with my knee."

The news will no doubt come as a relief to Ferguson, who arguably needs Heinze back in his defence almost as desperately as he wants Rooney in his attack. For now though, the man who won United's player of the year award in his first season with the club is fully concentrated on international matters and ensuring Argentina enjoy a significantly more successful World Cup than they did four years ago, when they suffered a humiliating group stage exit.

It may not have been entirely convincing at times as the Ivory Coast took command for lengthy spells, but the three points at least provides a welcome pressure release.
"It was so important to win that first match," said Heinze. "We could not allow what happened four years ago to happen again. This is the first step towards forgetting it."

There was perhaps even more than that to celebrate. The performances of Heinze and Roberto Ayala at the heart of their defence means Argentina look one of the most solid teams in the tournament. Juan Roman Riquelme provides the vision in midfield and striking duo Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola look to have a clinical edge up front.

With boy wonder Lionel Messi waiting in the wings following his recent thigh problem, it seems clear that ahead of their next game with Serbia and Montenegro on Friday the South American threat is not confined to favourites Brazil.
"We have done well to start with a win because the Ivory Coast are a very tough team," said Heinze. "They have a number of powerful, quick players and also a huge amount of quality. We stood up to them, which can only give us extra confidence. "But it is one win, nothing more. People talk of us being candidates to win this tournament, but I will leave that to them. "We will continue to work day to day and see where it takes us."