Argentina, smarting from a disappointing 1-1 home draw with modest Bolivia, set off for Colombia on Sunday for their fourth match of South American World Cup qualifying today.
They have learned a harsh lesson from a last-minute arrival in Venezuela last month where they were upset 1-0, Argentina’s first ever defeat by the baseball-mad country.
What was not in coach Alejandro Sabella’s plans before the Bolivia match on Friday was a serious rethink of his lineup and tactics to face Colombia in Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast.
Photo: Reuters
Sabella is pondering his choices in defense after Martin Demichelis was slow to control an easy ball and striker Marcelo Martins robbed him, turned and shot past Sergio Romero to put Bolivia ahead.
He knows former captain Javier Mascherano, a tactically disciplined player and good reader of the game, has been filling in well as a central defender at Barcelona and Sabella may use him in the middle of a back three.
“Mascherano is an intelligent, resourceful player who reads the action well and despite not being tall, he is competitive in the air,” Sabella said.
He also needs to continue working on his midfield formation to bring out the best in Lionel Messi, who was marked into submission by a packed Bolivia defense, and it does not help being deprived of an injured Angel Di Maria.
Argentina want time, even if it is only little more than a full day, to acclimatize to 40oC heat at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla where the kickoff is at 4pm.
“It’s very hot, humid, and it could rain. It’s problematic,” Sabella told reporters last week.
Two home games on the trot in the marathon, nine-nation, 18-match qualifying series is a rarity and it was Colombia’s turn to benefit from the calendar this month, but Venezuela snatched a surprise late equalizer in Barranquilla on Friday for a 1-1 draw as Colombia’s defense lost concentration and committed an error similar to Argentina’s against Bolivia in Buenos Aires.
Venezuela substitute Frank Felstcher stole between the centerbacks, snatching the ball off a lackadaisical Luis Perea and steering it past stranded goalkeeper David Ospina.
Colombia coach Leonel Alvarez lost winger Fredy Guarin, scorer of the opening goal on Friday, to a leg injury. Alvarez was already missing striker Radamel Falcao and midfielder Carlos Sanchez for both matches.
Uruguay, top of the standings with seven points from three matches after they crushed Chile 4-0 in Montevideo, with all four goals scored by Luis Suarez, have a bye today when they meet Italy in a friendly in Rome.
Argentina and Colombia are among four teams with four points. The others are Paraguay, who visit a Chile side nursing their bruised pride at the Nacional in Santiago, and Venezuela, who are at home to Bolivia in San Cristobal.
Ecuador and Peru, who have three points apiece, meet at high altitude in Quito, an advantage for the hosts.
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