Mexico play well; El Tri schooled by fantastic Argentina. 

 

Peurto Ordaz hosted the eagerly anticipated second semi final.  Centro Total de Entretenimiento Cachamay was buzzing, a huge Mexican following was expectant, filled with wannabee Luchadores and a festival atmosphere, Argentinean fans weren't as many in number but they added their voices to the mix and the neutrals were ready to be transfixed by the beautiful game; Argentinean style.  The pitch, as all have been in Venezuela; was heavy and lush, not really conducive to passing football. 

 

Hugo Sanchez kept faith with Sanchez in goal and played his strongest starters in a 4 4 2.  Castro and Pinto at full back, with Marquez and Magallon in the middle; in midfield Correa and Torrado providing steel, Guardado and Arce providing attacking verve.  Castillo; seemingly at 100% was the fulcrum of the side and Cacho; probably Mexico's weakest player; the striker 

 

Basile made his change in attack, staring with Messi and Tevez; Riquelme sat behind the strikers and Mascherano, Cambiasso and Veron formed the other points of the 4 4 2 diamond; at the back, Zanetti, Ayala, Barcelona bound Milito and Heinze protected Abbondanzieri. 

 

Neither team settled in the first few minutes, passes went awry and players were anxious.  Tevez started the fireworks with a run from deep onto a through ball; he beats Magallon for pace and is clear; Sanchez shepherded him well to a wide angle before saving smartly down low, the play was brought back; Tevez deemed to have illegally beaten Magallon. 

Messi and Tevez combine to play tricks on the Mexican back line, back heels and all; again Messi troubles Mexico, slipping past Castro on the left before the right back comes good and wins the ball back.  Lionel puts Cambiasso in but his delivery is as poor as Mexico's clearance which falls to Riquleme, his snap shot is handled safely by Sanchez.  Argentina keep possession well and work the ball forward from midfield with pin point passes, Veron delivers such a pass to Riquelme who is immediately flattened by Correa, free kick Argentina.  Dead ball situations suit the Boca Juniors star and his delivery is magnificent and well cleared by Mexico. 

Riquleme's other side is in evidence as he loops a lazy cross field ball to Cambiasso, Torrado pounces and runs at Argentina, he sprays the ball to Castillo who is well tackled by Ayala, Cacho hurries the rebound high and wide. 

Riquelme, Messi and Tevez are all closely marked, Torrado, Correa, an d the Mexican back line are uncompromising and rough in the tackle, never quite doing enough for a yellow though, old school Mexican football. 

That leaves the other players free, Zanetti showing his skills with a deft lob over one defender then a cut to bamboozle another in the area, he goes straight for goal and Sanchez does well to smother the ball at his near post. 

Mexico are getting into the game, after a first flurry from Argentina the roughhouse Mexican tackling is making things hard for Argentina.  Ayala makes a casual back pass and the ball holds up on the soggy turf, Castillo pounces but Ayala recovers to win back the ball, Castillo dives as Mascherano arrives to help and wins the free kick. 

Mexico start to defend higher up the park and bright play from Arce wins a corner; an unorthodox, training ground delivery actually troubles the Argentina back line. 

Mexico is having more of the play but the Argentineans defend well, Zanetti excels at turning Castillo inside onto his weaker foot. 

When the ball is on Argentina do break, Tevez latching on to a Riquelme pass beats two but scuffs his shot wide, maybe a cut back to Messi would have been better.  Veron and Messi combine on the right to win a free kick, Riquleme delivers a stunner to Ayala at the back post which Castro does well to force out for a corner kick, Sanchez grabs a great ball from Riquleme which Argentina don't really have the height in attack to take advantage of. 

Mexico continues to harry the Argentineans, Pinto clattering Tevez but only giving away a foul and not receiving a yellow.  Castillo works himself some space but can't find that killer pass, a Mexican problem all half. 

Arce is bright with his runs and pace and gets bundled over by Milito before seeing his free kick dealt with by Ayala. 

Things are fairly even so far, no goals and neither team really dominant, Mexico have the edge but can't capitalize. 

The first card goes to Veron; obviously having enough of being kicked about by Mexico; after he hacks down Guardado.  The pattern of play continues, Messi involved in the best of Argentina's forward forays, Tevez and Cambiasso helping out but being snuffed by Mexico; when El Tri go forward Argentina handles them mostly easily, Mascherano tracks back to dismiss Castillo from the ball and pass forward. 

The brightest play of the first half thus far is Argentina's.  Tevez receives the ball 25 yards out in the right channel, he flies forward; three Mexicans are sucked in; without looking he offloads the ball to Riquleme who; beating a fourth Mexican; gives the ball straight back; Tevez is now in space one on one with Sanchez, Tevez shoots but should have pulled the ball back for Veron or knocked it to the far post for Messi.  Skills like that give rise to comparisons with Maradona. 

Ayala is solid in the back, snuffing out a bright move from Correa and Castro. 

An Argentina break sees Marquez clatter Mascherano and Torrado clattering Riquelme, still no card is brandished. 

Stunning moment number two; Riquelme drops the ball deep in the box, Sanchez hesitates allowing Heinze to acrobatically stab the ball home, he had ghosted behind three Mexican defenders into space. 

 

Sanchez, after excellent play in the first half must now look to an equalizer, he brings on Bravo to replace Cacho and Torrado comes out for Medina.  Basile leaves things as they were. 

 

Mexico start out attacking; pushing Argentina back; the first opportunity comes after Mascherano hacks down Arce, the number 20 doesn't do well with the free kick. 

Veron picks the ball up and makes a cross field run before delivering a pass to Messi, Castro does well to force a corner kick. 

When Argentina does break again Messi is involved but his dive over Marquez is punished with a yellow card. 

Guardado looks to drive Mexico but his shooting opportunity; after some neat Mexican passing; sails high and wide.  Chances are coming for Mexico, Bravo feeds in Castillo who turns his defender and shoots wide, Marquez raids forward and delivers the perfect ball to Castillo who turns two defenders with a sublime cut, he can only graze the woodwork after having Abbondanzieri beat. 

Messi, working both flanks; causes trouble again for Mexico, three defenders needed to snuff out his talent on the left.  Cambiasso shows some skill with a deft back heel in the Mexican area; after an attacking move from Riquelme and Messi; too good the move is cut out. 

Argentina kill the game with their second goal, a quick break finds Tevez in acres, he slips the ball wide to Messi, the Barcelona needs one touch to control the pass before he lobs Sanchez at the far post, beautiful execution. 

Argentina, sensing the kill; up their tempo, Magallon shows great skill in denying Riquelme gets his goal with a sweetly touched in penalty, Marquez obstructed Tevez in the box and earned himself a card. 

Argentina keep the ball; pretty much for the rest of the match, passing short, long, back and sideways, Mexico still fight but they have lost and they know it. 

Bravo, Castro and Medina all work hard to move forward but are marshaled by Argentina, the only glimmer they have is Castillo; whose shot grazes the crossbar from an acute angle. 

Messi, still bright at the death feeds substitute Palacio who forces an excellent save from Sanchez. 

Zanetti epitomizes the Argentinean approach, deep into the match, the game won, he doesn't just kick the ball into touch, he jinks and swerves around Castro until he has the opportunity then plays the ball forward. 

 

Sanchez got to the semi final without his strongest side and showed that Mexico will be a threat in South Africa, beating Brazil was a great result and a quarter final mauling of Paraguay underlined their talent, Castillo; bound for Deportivo de la Coruna; will be world class. 

 

Basile, never a losing coach at the Copa America; will be pleased to see his side through to the final in emphatic fashion, sixteen goals, five wins is a good springboard into the final against arch rivals Brazil.  The loss of Cresco hasn't been fully filled yet. 

 

Pretty good game; one the one hand; he let things flow and wasn't card happy.  On the other hand he let too many nasty tackles from the Mexicans go unpunished; the elbow to Riquelme for one. 

 

 

Mexico:-

Sanchez

Magallon

Marquez

Castro

Pinto

Correa (Pineda 83)

Torrado (Medina 46)

Guardado

Arce

Castillo

Cacho (Bravo 46).

 

 

Bookings:-

Torrado

Marquez

 

Goals:-

 

Argentina:-

Abbondanzieri

Zanetti

Ayala

Milito

Heinze

Veron (Gago 78)

Mascherano

Cambiasso

Riquelme (Aimar 86)

Messi

Tevez (Palacio 78).

 

Bookings:-

Veron

Messi

 

Goals:-

Heinze 45

Messi 61

Riquelme 65 (P)

 

Attendance:-

41600

 

Referee:-

Chandia (CHI)