The Lionel Messi Show: On-Fire Argentina Down USMNT to Make Copa America Final

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 22, 2016

commentComment        

Just when you think Lionel Messi cannot possibly get any better, he goes straight out and proves otherwise. The Argentina star put in yet another display of the highest quality to down the United States 4-0 and send the Albiceleste strolling into the Copa America Centenario final. 

The hundredth edition of the world's longest-running international competition lends itself to a history lesson or two. And few players have made as much history in recent years as the Barcelona superstar, for whom the entire sport of football seems to be an exercise in breaking down the realms of possibility. 

Argentina started with a throwback to the 1994 World Cup—the last major tournament disputed in the U.S. Just seven minutes in, Messi's perfectly weighted pass found Ezequiel Lavezzi alone and the forward— drafted in as a replacement for the suspended Nicolas Gaitan—nodded in to break home resistance at the first attempt. 

Lavezzi chose to pay homage to one Diego Maradona, who, 22 years ago to the day, netted his 32nd and last goal for the country against Greece. Pocho's imitation of the great's wild-eyed gesticulation to the cameras summed up this team—immensely powerful, but at the same time blessed with the pure enjoyment of playing the game. 



Wednesday, meanwhile marks the 30th anniversary of the game that made Diego an idol: the Hand of God, the Goal of the Century and the joy of a nation as England went down on the way to the 1986 World Cup. The Argentina team that went out against the U.S. seemed modelled on that side Carlos Bilardo built, subconsciously or not. 

Taking a page out of his predecessor's playbook, Gerardo Martino employed a flexible 4-3-3 formation that during the first half especially resembled Bilardo's 3-5-2. Javier Mascherano settled in between centre-backs Nicolas Otamendi and Ramiro Funes Mori, allowing the wide men to push forward into...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

Latest News


Comments

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!