Argentina find Colombia tough to crack
If there is one date that brings Argentina fans out into a cold sweat it is 5 September 1993. It was on that day, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires of all places, that the Albicelestes fell to one of the most humiliating defeats in their illustrious history, a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Carlos Valderrama's Colombia in a USA 1994 qualifying match.
For the man in charge on that fateful evening, current incumbent Alfio Basile, Monday's evening's 4-2 victory over the Cafeteros must have tasted particularly sweet.
Despite the final scoreline, it was not all plain sailing for the two-time world champions at the Estadio Jose Pachencho Romero in Maracaibo. Just as they had done against the USA in their opening game, the tournament favourites fell behind to an early goal, Edixon Perea giving the Colombians hope with he flicked the ball past Roberto Abbondanzieri eight minutes in. Hernan Crespo ensured their joy was shortlived when he converted a penalty ten minutes later.
Having assuming control of proceedings, Argentina's confirmed their dominance when Juan Roman Riquelme headed home, the playmaker grabbing a second right on the interval when he angled a trademark free kick past Miguel Calero in the Colombia goal.
With such a comfortable half-time cushion, there was every reason to believe Basile's men would turn on the style in the second half. Colombia had other ideas though, and Jaime Castrillon pulled a goal back from a fine header with 18 minutes to go. A Diego Milito piledriver in injury time saw the Argentinians over the line and into the quarter-finals however, leaving the exiting Colombians to contemplate what might have been.
In the final round of games Argentina face Paraguay to decide who goes forward as group winners to face the runners-up in Group A, with the USA and Colombia battling it out to avoid the wooden spoon. Both games take place in Barquisimeto.
Meanwhile, the Copa America roadshow moves on to Merida, where Venezuela take on Uruguay and Peru square off against Bolivia to decide who goes through from Group A.
source: (FIFA.com) Tuesday 3 July 2007
