A dramatic penalty shoot-out, with missed spot-kicks from Muriel, Biglia, Zúñiga, Rojo and Murillo, saw Argentina progress to the semi-finals of the Copa América in a match full of passion, suffering and that aura surrounding football that makes the game so unique. Argentina are through, Colombia are out and that was a fair result from a clash of giants that demonstrated that Argentine have that bit extra, even though they relied on penalties to confirm it.
Argentina dominated through the match. Pékerman’s strategy ultimately failed to work. The man marking of Arias on Messi and the presence of James in midfield alongside Mejía completely unbalanced the Colombians. When Messi moved inside, Arias followed and the hole that formed in his area was not covered by James. It was nonsense.
The focus of the centre-backs inside the area could also have been better. Pastore could have scored on a shot that was deflected and Agüero was the victim of a penalty that Mexican referee Roberto García did not whistle for. It was only the start of his poor performance, another one from the officials in this Copa América. Pékerman, soaked to the bone, wanted to open up his umbrella and stop the storm. He brought off a striker, Teólifo, and brought on a midfielder, Cardona, and moved James forward to play off the striker. It was especially hard to see James shine, seemingly restricted in his position.
Argentina continued to command things with Messi intelligently leading his side, leaving his position on the right and leaving his Colombian opponents in his tracks. Of all the many qualities attributed to Leo, one of them that is rarely mentioned is his influence in even matches – he is a master of taking control. In a free role, with Arias following him like a hound, the Colombian was booked and he was treading a tightrope for the rest of the match.
As happened against Brazil, the Colombians showed their teeth more than actually using them. The intensity that is needed in football all too often turned to bitterness and hostility and that left Argentine mired in mud. Still, Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina still had to be at his best to keep his opponents out. First he denied Agüero and then Messi with two saves that few goalkeepers in the world would be able to pull off. It was a colossal double stop, which also acted to prop his team up.
Pekerman changed the role or Arias and that freed Messi up, leaving Zúñiga to stand watch over the Argentine star. But what really gave Colombia a much-needed boost was that introduction of Cardona, an unpredictable but hot player on his day. Colombia needed to up their own temperature and they were also boosted by even being in the game at all after the Argentine dominance. Not even the fantastic dribbles of Messi allowed Tata Martino’s men a way through although the best player in the world persisted with his efforts as he always does.
Argentina came close to winning it later on when Banega and Otamendi hit the woodwork, with another miraculous intervention from Arsenal goalkeeper Ospina needed. The goalkeeper was having one of those games he will remember for a long time but he was not the hero of the shoot-out. Argentina came through with Carlos Tévez scoring the decisive kick.
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