For Argentina, today was just another day. Glorious, free-flowing, creative football so typical of the Albiceleste was on display yet again. For Mexico, it was just another Copa America. Nobody beats them at reaching Copa semi-finals and then bowing out.

Argentina continue to produce some amazing goals as they hit three past Mexico this evening. Juan Roman Riquelme took over from where he left setting up one goal and scoring another, further strengthening his case for player of the tournament.

The game started with Argentina showing positive intent right from the word go. A number of chances were created. The midfield was doing its job well maintaining possession and creating some good balls. Mexico had defended tightly and, after a while, it was they who began to threaten. Mexico almost took the lead when Andres Guardado shot just wide. Their plan of containing Riquelme was also working well with the gifted playmaker at the receiving end of most fouls.

One foul, however, cost them dearly. Riquelme, not surprisingly, took the 44th minute free kick that turned the game around. His brilliant delivery found Heinze who acrobatically guided the ball in, leaving three defenders and the keeper staring hopelessly at each other.

The second half saw Mexico almost grabbing the equalizer with Nery Castillo’s effort hitting the crossbar. But it was Argentina who struck again in the 59th minute. Tevez played in a clever ball to Messi on the right, who came up with a chip of the highest quality to beat a diving Oswaldo Sanchez. Within a minute of the restart, Riquelme squandered a glorious opportunity to finish off Mexico once and for all. Nevertheless, they were finished when Tevez was brought down in the box. Riquelme’s beautifully taken penalty kick shut the door completely on Mexico.

Argentina now face Brazil for top honours in a rematch of the Copa America 2004 final. On that occasion, it was the Samba boys who came out victorious on penalties. Argentina have revenge on their minds, a shot at a record fifteenth Copa title and a golden opportunity to end a streak of 13+ years without a major trophy. Not to mention, a chance to beat their biggest rivals. Now thats a hell lot to play for. It should be one interesting Sunday.

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Four high quality goals from Argentina saw them comfortably through to the semis. Peru was completely outplayed as Riquelme started and finished proceedings in style.

Despite no goals being scored in the first-half, Argentina created a couple of chances – the best ones coming off Messi’s boots. The 20 year old is slowly settling into his own with every game – today being arguably his best display.

Riquelme could have put Argentina ahead in the first-half but his tight-angled shot found the keeper. On another occasion, Messi picked up pace after beating a defender but his shot deflected off another and hit the post. Minutes later, it was Messi again, cutting into the box from the left. Having elegantly worked his way through two defenders, he got around
another one before taking a shot only to be denied by a fourth.

With scores levelled at nothing, it was time for Coach Basile to make a change. Tevez was introduced right after the interval in place of Diego Milito. He made his presence felt immediately. Zanetti sent the ball into the box for a diving Tevez header that hit the top post.

With nobody finding the net and pressure building up, someone needed to break the deadlock. It was Riquelme who answered the call. Making the ball his own after some delightful passes, Riquelme moved swiftly from right to centre before unleashing a fiery shot that gave the keeper no chance. Minutes later, Riquelme was again at the ball. Giving the impression he was going to take a shot, he produced one of those brilliant passes that so often make good defences look silly. It was meant for Messi who was more that glad to receive it before calmly beating a defender and the keeper to
make it 2-0.

The third goal was a smart combination play from Messi and Tevez. A cheeky Messi pass opened up Tevez on the left who ran into the area before returning the favour to Messi. The youngster was denied by the keeper but Argentina wasn’t as Mascherano was waiting on the right to pounce on the rebound.

The final goal originated at the other end from the Argentine keeper who cleared a set-piece to find Tevez. Breaking away on the counter, Tevez passed for Riquelme to finish in style.

Argentina now take on Mexico, who hammered six goals against Paraguay, in the semis in what should be a mouth-watering contest. If you happened to see the Arg-Mex world cup classic last year, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

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The Liverpool man is considered by many to be amongst the best holding midfielders in the world. Today he did just a little more. A second-half Javier Mascherano strike was enough to put Argentina atop group C setting up a quarter-final date with Peru.

On the other hand, Paraguay, who managed to contain Argentina for more than an hour, have to deal with Mexico in the knock-out stage.

The first half can, at best, be classified as mundane with both sides unable to break the deadlock. Wait a minute. Did I just say both ? Correction. Paraguay weren’t even trying to score. They were happy sitting back: it was Argentina who needed that goal after all. Digging deep into its reserves, Argentina unleashed a new look team which lacked the co-ordination and free-flowing game that is so very much their trademark. One got the impression that the sting in front of goal was not there today.

One of the rare quality first half chances came in the 13th minute. Cambiasso, working his way down the left, crossed in for Palacio who set up Aimar for a header that went just wide. Tevez sent a powerful far range shot wide. Cambiasso also managed a couple of neat first touches in this half, though that didn’t prevent the spectators from booing on numerous occasions when they were actually spectating.

After a dull half, Argentina resumed proceedings with a renewed sense of purpose. A number of chances were created. Two shots hit the post: The first, a low shot from Tevez when given the slightest of rooms. The second, a powerful strike from Palacio that bounced off the top. Tevez curled another one just over. A goal seemed coming anytime. However, it took a double substitution in the form of Messi (to the crowd’s delight) and Mascherano who also paired up to put Argentina ahead.

Messi’s speed and creativity brought new life into the attack. In a brilliant move, he moved up the left flank and beat two defenders before making the decisive cross. Mascherano, suddenly finding the ball at his feet and a gang of defenders running at him, came up with a high precision strike to save the day for Argentina.

Paraguay’s defence, that had almost done its job perfectly, was finally opened up. All further attempts to equalize went in vain.

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It appears as if Argentina has got into this habit of giving everyone a reason to celebrate. Today, it was Columbia at the other end. How long the festivities lasted, however, is a different story altogether.

Argentina started the game without a change in its lineup and in pretty much the same fashion as they did against the U.S. The yellow shirted Columbians, who were recently humbled by Paraguay, needed to put up a strong show to make amends and dream of staying a little longer on Venezuelan soil. With this in mind (and possibly Columbian media nightmares), they meant business right away.

Columbia struck in the 9th minutes when Argentina’s defense left Perea unmarked who neatly back-heeled to find the net. What followed in the next 10 minutes was indifferent play from Argentina. A number of haywire passes meant little control of the midfield, which in any case appeared in chaos (by Argentina’s standards ) with Riquelme and Veron once again resuming their joint venture. Messi, in the meanwhile, had not seen much of the ball when he hit the jackpot in the 19th minute.

The last thing the Columbians needed was a controversial penalty. That’s exactly what they got when Messi went up for the ball with a yellow shirt, who appeared to have done nothing wrong ( ironically, the referee was Brazilian ). Crespo equalized sending the ball hard down the middle; so hard that he pulled a muscle and called for an immediate replacement. On came Diego Milito, joining his brother in hot conditions.

With 33 minutes on the clock, Riquelme suddenly found himself on the scoreboard. The second goal was manufactured beautifully with a series of one-touch passes before Riquelme, less known for his headers, sent one beyond the keeper’s reach. There were periods of dull play which saw fouls being committed on a regular basis, mostly on the Argentineans. With 43 minutes gone and the crowd almost resigning to half-time, Messi justified his status as perhaps the most exciting player in world football. Patiently collecting a midfield ball, he sped away diagonally beating a good amount of yellow shirts before being unfairly dispossessed.

The free-kick that resulted provided Riquelme another opportunity to show how dangerous he could be on set-pieces. Having missed his previous two chances, he expertly squeezed this one through the wall, beating the keeper on his own side of the post.

Despite sitting pretty at 3-1, it was only after the interval that Argentina started playing their true game. The first few minutes of the second-half were an absolute delight to watch. It was not uncommon for a series of 15 or more consecutive touches to evade Columbian shirts. And with Messi frequently on the ball, the crowd had a lot to look out for.

The Columbians seemed to have given up and the game all but sealed when Argentina, despite all its pretty football, let one go in off a 72nd minute corner. The Columbians, fired up from this free gift, finally woke up and started to run at the Argentinean goal. They had their chances, the closest one producing a fine save from the keeper with Gabriel Milito clearing the ‘anyone’s ball’ that resulted. Another beautiful aerial ball was headed straight to the keeper. With Argentina protecting a slender lead, Diego Milito, who had been dreaming about god knows what the entire evening, showed up in the box out of nowhere and got the deflection that he needed. That finally sealed it.

A 4-2 result now requires Argentina to beat Paraguay to claim first place. While we wait for that game, Columbia can catch their flight back home.

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