Soccer-Argentina call up two uncapped defenders for World Cup tune-ups

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has named two uncapped defenders in his squad for friendlies in the United States against Ecuador and Bosnia next month. Fiorentina's Facundo Roncaglia and Lucas Orban of Girondins Bordeaux were called up on Thursday as Sabella looks to shore up a defence that has been frequently exposed by the counter-attack ahead of next year's World Cup finals. Sabella also recalled Porto centre back Nicolas Otamendi, a member of Diego Maradona's 2010 World Cup squad in South Africa who won the last of his 15 caps under Sabella in a 1-0 qualifier defeat away to Venezuela two years ago. The tour will also mark the first time striker Gonzalo Higuain can link up with Lionel Messi since June. Messi missed their 2-1 friendly win over Italy in Rome in August and Higuain was suspended for Argentina's qualifier against Paraguay in September and injured when they played Peru and Uruguay this month. Argentina meet fellow World Cup finalists Ecuador in New York on Nov. 15 and Bosnia in. St Louis four days later. Squad: Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Monaco), Mariano Andujar (Catania) Defenders: Facundo Roncaglia (Fiorentina), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Federico Fernandez (Napoli), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan), Jose Basanta (Monterrey), Nicolas Otamendi (Porto), Lucas Orban (Bordeaux) Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Ever Banega (Valencia), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain) (Reporting by Rex Gowar; Editing by Peter Rutherford)