Under the leadership of a brilliant Lionel Messi, involved in five of the six goals, the Albiceleste (Argentina) thrashed Paraguay (6-1) in the semifinals on Tuesday in Concepcion, and will face Chile in the final on Saturday in Santiago.
The big game: 6-1
Looking closely, but really closely, Argentina trembled for 240 seconds on Tuesday night in Concepcion, during the semifinal largely won against Paraguay (6-1) and sending it to the final of the Copa America on Saturday against Chile in Santiago.
After a first period rather quiet when she led by a two-goal margin, suspense intervened between the 43rd minute when Lucas Barrios reduced the score after a ball recovered by Bruno Valdez on a bad relaunching of Otamendi, and the 47th minute when Angel Di Maria gave much terrain to Argentina, exploiting a superb outside service to Pastore’s right. The following was only a collective demonstration of the Albiceleste, sometimes sickening for the ease in which they played against Paraguay which was totally overwhelmed and deprived to soon of wounded Derlis Gonzalez (27th) and Roque Santa Cruz (30th).
Angel Di Maria, unconvincing in previous matches, managed a double in taking a delayed hitting from Pastore (53rd), he seemed at ease although his allure had been questioned in the days before the match. The Argentinian commentator as quite some affinity with Lionel Messi, and four times ‘Ballon d’Or’ gave him back a perfect ball in the (27th). Marcos Rojo opened the scoring by being the quickest in the box to take back the kick from the inevitable Messi (15th).
Brave but exhausted by the sequence of games, they had played their quarterfinal against Brazil Saturday under the extreme rhythm imposed by Gerardo Martino’s men, Paraguyens sank at the very end of the match, leaving Agüero (80th) and Higuain (83rd) giving Argentinians an instantaneous and enormous success. Martino, in charge of the Paraguayans finalist in 2011, will live his second consecutive final Saturday.
Key man, Messi was everywhere:
Of the six goals scored by Argentina, Lionel Messi was involved five times, giving a total of three assists. This is obviously the best game of the Copa America for the captain of the Albiceleste, who has been absolutely remarkable.
With his attitude, his passes, his dribbling and never loosing grip, he posted the finest Barcelonan assets. Grump’s will object that he did not score. And so what? He has not taken the famous warning that would have deprived him of the final against La Roja. A year after the disappointment experienced at the Maracana against Germany (0-1), and even though no one can compare a Copa America with the World Cup, Messi has a great opportunity to lead his team to its first international title since 1993. If he sparkles as he did against Paraguay, we wish the Roja (Chile) good luck.
The number 4:
As the number of shots attempted in this Copa America by Lucas Barrios. The craziest is that he scored three times, for a success rate of 75% according to our information. Replacing Roque Santa Cruz for is injury at half time, La Pantera (Lucas Barrios) struck again and again on Tuesday after his goals against Argentina (2-2) and Uruguay (1-1) in the first round. Just before the break, is shot from the left deceived Romero but was not enough to maintain the Paraguay’s hope. Hats off to Paraguay still under rebuilding where we see, with great pleasure, Derlis Gonzalez and Oscar Romero, the two best offensives promises under Ramon Diaz’s training.