Chile Worthy Champions as Under-Par Argentina Limp to Another Final Defeat
With the two best teams disputing the final of a major international tournament, great things were expected of Chile and Argentina's Copa America decider. Lionel Messi and his Albiceleste colleagues were not up to the task, however, and while the hosts celebrated wildly, Argentina slumped to a defeat that could signify the end of an era.
The margins in top competition are razor-thin. On another day, Gonzalo Higuain and Ever Banega would have slotted their penalties, Alexis Sanchez's impudent panenka would have ended in disaster and Gerardo Martino's men would be celebrating their Copa America crown. A shootout is rarely a fair way to end a match.
This time, however, one cannot help but consider that the right team prevailed. Argentina left their best football in the semi-finals and fell painfully flat across the 120 minutes before Higuain and Banega's misfortune delivered the coup de grace.
Just like in 2014 following Mario Gotze's late heartbreaking goal, we must make the same conclusions. Led by the irrepressible Javier Mascherano, the Argentine team showed admirable reserves of courage and resistance. But despite boasting a team packed with talents, they have once more failed to score and take the result when it most mattered. The entire front line played like perfect strangers, with Sergio Aguero a forlorn figure alone up front and Javier Pastore only appearing intermittently.
In the semi, they could at least appeal to the genius of the Messiah. But Lionel Messi was nullified for perhaps the first time in 2015, with Gary Medel leading the way and his defensive team-mates following with an uncompromisingly committed marking job. Tonight, when the dejected captain closes his eyes, he will still see the Pitbull stalking him, preparing to leave another mark like the bootprint he left on his ribcage.
"Así fue la patada de Medel a Messi http://t.co/309NVlSOYX
— Fútbol Fichajes (@FutboolFichajes) July 4, 2015"
Drilled to almost military discipline by Argentine Jorge Sampaoli, Chile were the only team out on the pitch that knew what they wanted to do. The Albiceleste suffered taking the ball out, failed to use the expanses of the Estadio Nacional field and ended up chasing shadows for much of the game. In the few clear chances they had, Claudio Bravo was equal, although if Gonzalo Higuain's despairing shot seconds before full-time had fallen the other side of the post, it was a different story.
This Copa America was Argentina's to lose. It was the chance to put 22 years of failure at international level behind them, but the instability and lack of structure endemic in Argentine football has paid once more to this stellar generation.
Martino as well must take the flak: One picks players to fit the system, and hard-working but limited footballers like Marcos Rojo, Martin Demichelis and Lucas Biglia have no place in a team seeking to take the initiative at every turn. The absence in particular of a midfield engine, such as Enzo Perez, who could have harried the likes of Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia was an unforgivable oversight.
That trio and more had earned a year of grace thanks to their gutsy showings in Brazil 2014. Now though is not time for the same sentimentality. Argentina must take a deep look within, and cut the players not up to scratch. It could be an extensive clean-out, but it is necessary. This squad needs renewal—new blood such as Mauro Icardi, Leonel Vangioni, Luciano Vietto and Juan Iturbe.
Even as Gotze's goal was entering in the Maracana, it did nothing to dim the pride most Argentines felt around their national team. In Chile, the feeling could not be more different. Argentina went perilously close to lifting the Copa America, but the final betrayed the weaknesses of the nation, and only a serious rebuilding ahead of the Russia World Cup will create a team worthy of the stars which dot the team-sheet.
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