Any questions over Argentina’s attacking power were emphatically answered in Concepción as everything clicked into place for Gerardo Martino’s side and they tore apart Paraguay for a place in Saturday’s Copa América final. Lionel Messi dazzled and despite his own personal goal drought continuing the captain produced a virtuoso performance in tandem with the equally delightful Javier Pastore. The pair are beginning to develop a mouth-watering partnership for which Tata Martino deserves enormous credit. Ángel Di María also answered his critics with a second half brace as La Albiceleste ran wild to ease past Ramón Díaz’s side and set up a cracking final against Chile.
Marcos Rojo gave Argentina the lead after just quarter of an hour when Lionel Messi’s free-kick dropped at the Manchester United defender’s feet allowing him just enough time to rifle the loose ball into the bottom corner and when Javier Pastore added an utterly stupendous second before the half hour mark it looked as though Argentine were running away with it, as they had appeared in the opening match of the tournament.
However, just as had happened in La Serena nearly two weeks ago, Paraguay responded albeit with the help of a woeful piece of Argentine defending. Nicolás Otamendi clipped the ball into midfield and when the ball was headed back to Lucas Barrios in space, the Argentine-born Paraguayan dashed forward to smash the ball past Sergio Romero.
Argentina held on for half time but came out after the break full of attacking intent. Within minutes, Messi had combined with Pastore and the Paris St Germain midfielder delivered an exquisite through-pass to Ángel Di María, who made no mistake in slotting the ball past Justo Villar.
Di María added his second shortly after when Villar had smothered Pastore’s initial effort but the goal was all about the incredible Messi solo run that had preceded it. Leaving a heap of Paraguayan defenders on the deck, Messi slid the ball out wide to Pastore and if the gods had been kind the ball would have found a way back to Pulga to add the finishing touch.
With the match effectively over, Sergio Agüero notched his third of the tournament with a bullet header from Di María’s left-wing cross and his replacement, Gonzalo Higuaín chalked up a sixth when he smashed past Villar from inside the penalty box after Messi had once more tormented the Paraguayan defence.
The potency in front of goal question answered, no suspensions, Javier Pastore and Ángel Di María sticking two fingers up to those who doubted their place in the starting eleven and Lionel Messi being Lionel Messi, this semi-final could not have gone much better.
golazo argentino 