Argentina booed off after Colombia draw
Reuters - Thursday 07 July 2011, 04:09
SANTA FE - Colombia held hosts Argentina
to a 0-0 draw in a Copa America match riddled with missed
chances that they should have won to retain their two-point lead
in Group A on Wednesday.
Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero made four saves from the
Colombia attack when they had only him to beat, earning the man
of the match award as coach Sergio Batista's team were booed off
by their own fans at first division Colon's stadium in Santa Fe.
"We don't like [to be booed] but we have to respect the
people, who want to see their team win," Batista told the
post-match news conference.
The home side also failed to put away chances while
Batista's tactics did not help the heavily marked Lionel Messi,
who exerted little influence and even blasted a free kick over
the top.
The hosts could be pushed into third place in the group if
Bolivia, who held the hosts 1-1 in the group opener last week in
La Plata, beat Costa Rica in Jujuy on Thursday. Colombia beat
the Costa Ricans 1-0 last Saturday.
"Now we must keep our calm because we know we're playing for
everything in the next match," Batista said.
The first chance fell to Argentina when full back Pablo
Zabaleta came in from the right in the eighth minute and beat
goalkeeper Luis Martinez with a low shot that was cleared off
the line, denying the hosts a settling early lead.
Ten minutes later, midfielder Esteban Cambiasso crossed from
the left and the ball looked on its way in to the top far corner
before Martinez tipped it away.
STINGING BREAKS
Colombia, launching stinging counter-attacks whenever
Argentina lost the ball, should have gone ahead in the 20th
minute but were guilty instead of their first glaring miss.
Winger Dayro Moreno crossed low from the left wing to the
unmarked Adrian Ramos but the midfielder contrived to hit the
ball over the bar with Romero beaten.
Six minutes later, Ramos leapt onto a poor back pass by
Gabriel Milito but was tackled from behind by fellow central
defender Nicolas Burdisso.
Brazilian referee Salvio Fagundes played the advantage as
the loose ball ran out left to the unmarked Moreno but he shot
into the side netting.
"You have to remember that like us, they are trying to
settle into [the game] their coach wants," Colombia captain
Mario Yepes said of the missed chances for both sides.
"We're happy with how we played but were always wary because
Argentina have players who can sting you at any moment."
Messi had one of his few potentially telling moments of the
match just past the half hour with a superbly weighted through
ball to Ezequiel Lavezzi but the winger delayed his shot just
enough for Martinez to block.
Colombia, living up to their billing as dark horses, brought
two diving saves from Romero in the final three minutes of the
half, first from a swerving shot from outside the box by striker
Radamel Falcao and then from Moreno.
Argentina captain Javier Mascherano had a shot saved early
in the second half and minutes later Colombia left-back Pablo
Armero shot just wide of the far post.
Colombia should have taken the lead in the 67th minute when
Argentina were a defender short with Burdisso off getting
treatment for a nose bleed and Falcao beat the offside trap with
only Romero to beat only for the goalkeeper to parry his shot.
Argentina's forwards were often guilty of getting caught
offside while the Colombians ran into space well and Romero
again saved the hosts' blushes when he dived to save a late
effort from substitute Teo Gutierrez.