Argentina vs. Peru: 1-1 Draw Reveals Key to Harnessing Argentinians' Speed

Argentina still leads the South American qualifying group by one point, but Tuesday night's 1-1 draw versus Peru revealed a potential weakness in the elite squad's arsenal.

The Argentinian squad is extremely fast, skilled and agile. However, they aren't strong. They're not really all that tough either.

Peru turned Tuesday's match into a crawl. They forced Argentina to play at their pace, and they made sure Lionel Messi didn't take one step without someone in his hip pocket.

As a result, the elite South American squad trailed until a few minutes remained in the first half. Gonzalo Higuain wound up tying the game at one, but this was a little too close for comfort. Skilled sides aren't supposed to be tested like this, and they hadn't been up until this point.

No one would deny the Argentinians' skill level, but this game was interesting. Normally, teams don't get a chance to push them around. Peru's Carlos Zambrano gave them that luxury in the 22nd minute by handing them an early lead.

That lead allowed Peru to sit back, protect themselves defensively and make sure none of the opposition's highly-skilled attacker got a free run at the net.

This was a team that had scored nine goals in the previous three matches. Argentina is notorious for highlight-reel goals and feathery open-field touches.

Doing what Peru managed to do is easier said than done, but teams that play Argentina in the future should take notice. Containing Messi is the first step, but taking away this team's speed can even the playing field just enough.

Argentina is going to be a tough out regardless. Even a slowed down bunch is still too skilled for most squads to handle, but it's a step in the right direction.

Peru should be proud to steal a point in this one. Their game plan was flawless, and they provided a blueprint for team's on Argentina's future schedule.