Lionel Messi free kick magic not enough as Argentina draw 1-1 vs. Chile

By
Roy Nemer
-
16

It was Argentina creating many of the first half chances. Nicolas Gonzalez with the first opportunity of the match for Argentina as a cross sent into the penalty area found the Stuttgart man but his header went just wide. A few moments later, Lo Celso would make a great pass into Gonzalez who would be one on one with the goalkeeper but his shot was saved.

Lionel Messi would open the scoring. A clearance by Emiliano Martinez found Lo Celso who was found and it was Messi taking the free kick and scoring to give Argentina the 1-0 lead.

Lautaro Martinez would get an opportunity as a ball into the penalty area would land onto Lautaro’s feet but his effort went wide.

The start of the second half was similar to the one which played out versus Colombia just a week ago. Chile pressure and a defensive mistake by Nicolas Otamendi let Chile into the penalty area. An initial save by Emiliano Martinez but kick by Nicolas Tagliafico onto Vidal and Chile were awarded a penalty kick.

Emiliano Martinez would make the save as the ball would bounce off the crossbar and back to Chile and Vargas would score the rebound. For the third consecutive match, Argentina were unable to hold onto a lead.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni would make a few substitues as Angel Di Maria replaced Gio Locelso and Exequiel Palacios replaced Leandro Paredes.

Messi nearly had an assist as he sent a cross into the penalty area but Nicolas Gonzalez missed his header. Scaloni would make three more changes were Joaquin Correa for Nicolas Gonzalez, Sergio Aguero for Lautaro Martinez and Nahuel Molina for Ezequiel Montiel.

Despite seven minutes of injury time being added, Argentina were unable to get another goal as the match would end in a 1-1 draw.

Up next for Argentina is Uruguay on Friday.

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16 Comments

  1. 1 goal lead is never enough…we’ve to blame Martinez and Gonzalez here for not taking the chances.

    Chile , we all knew would play tough and fight till last minute, so it was important to seal the deal as early as possible.

  4. Again, I am not saying Scaloni is awesome..but scaloni didn’t kick Vidal in the sack in the penalty area..Tagliafico did. Especially in Brazil where even the breeze blows against us?? Scaloni did not fail to come to Martinez rescue after his superb save…players failed him….And scaloni did not missed two golden opportunities… Lautaro did and Nico gonzalez as well.

    My point is blaming the coach has become fashionable for our supporters..but it is dangerous..it masks the real problem…lack of consistency in players…all except 1.

    Also our latest hobby seems to be getting screwed because of stupid idiotic penalties….

  5. Now its time for lisandro Martinez romero cb pairing also molina and acuna should start thats why im always against dropping foyth he is far better defensively

  6. For the first time, I am starting to question Scaloni…. He unable to turn the table, always the same story, we play well, score in the first and the we concede goals and it’s a draw… The coaching staff has so many limitations. The material is there and once again we are unable to make the best out of it…. So disappointed as usual …..

  10. Chile match cannot be referenced for any conclusion, Because they play shit.
    But if Argentina could have keep the fluidity in the Second half as well, we could have seal the lead.
    Scaloni couldn’t do anything as always, because his tactical knowledge is absolute minimum. It’s sad he is continuing the job.
    Whatever, hope this group of decent footballers (with some world class elements) will grow with the tournament and finally win something substantial.

  11. The only reason Argentina lost frequent possesion against chile was because of the total defensive collapse. Either everything was going fine and Argentina created a hell lot of chances. They were clearly ahead in this game in terms of attack but since the collapse of their defense chile took every possible way to do quick counters.

    I hope Molina is slotted in quickly for the next few matches. He is damn crucial.

    I don’t know if it’s wrong or not but aguero should prop up next to lautaro. Seems like lautaro alone is not enough. As a lone striker he had to do both the things, that is to strike and also pressure to win the ball.

    I think these changes need to be made asap. More tough games coming

    That was a clear penalty at last minute. They robbed us again

  12. we always concede a penalty (too often)… defence is shaky… finishing is below par. Scaloni is clueless, sad but true

  13. Lautaro could have shoot, he passed it back to Messi
    Nico could have shoot, he passed it back to Messi
    Everytime we could have killed the game, we either emulate Pipita’s finishing or pass the back to Messi.

    Scolani failed to win for 3 competitive games in a row.

    • Yes, exatly zero wins of last 3 games which we should have won easily and besides the first game against Chile where Lo Celso did’nt play the last 2 we should won easily, but because Lo Celso was the first player taken out in both of theese last 2 games it seems like as soon Lo Celso is taken out our level of game drops down like rocket from the sky so yes maybe Lo Celso can’t Still play more longer but if we are so depended on one single player until he’s taken out and then our game collapse, well then that is a great example for everyone of Scaloni’s skill to lead the team and i don’t want to kick him out, but if he constantly keep on doing the same misstakes lime he have done in last 2 games, well then there should at least crititism towards him and that is completly normal because he also does it for our players by claiming that we control the game’s until the very last minutes of the game and because of one individual error we loose our game’s, Ok yes Foyth made misstake but Marchesin did even bigger one and yes tagliafigo and Otamendi both cost us penalties against us from where our opponents scored and offcourse it is very easy way to put all the blame on Foyth, Otamendi and Tagliafigo and theese things happen constantly in football at general so toeven bigger or better players so that is nothing new at all so no need to really focus on that, but instead we should focus and specially Scaloni should focus who is on pitch and when ? Why did we play Otamendi partnering Romero who deffinetly must be on the pitch allways when he can or why did LMQ played with Romero or why when Romero got injured we put on Foyth and Pezzella and why when Romero was out and couldnt start or play we played LMQ with Otamendi ? For me the answer is very easy and this Scalonis’s and only Scaloni’s deciccions so where right or wrong decionssions ? Like when Emi got injured and Marchesin came on instead of musso ! All theese things cost us at least 2 wins or i would even say 3 because also it was wrong decission from Scaloni in the first Chile game WC qualifier to partner Romero with LMQ instead it should have been Lisandro and when we played Colombia it should have also been Romero and Lisandro or when Romero got injured it should have been Lisandro instead of Foyth and Pezzella and in the last game it should have been Otamendi with Lisandro, period ! So why on earth Scaloni keep on constantly marking theese same misstakes and not only with our defence and deffensive substitutions but also with all our substitutions are either wrongly timed or just putting the wrong player on at the wrong time of the game! All this jus because of Scaloni’s decission marking is simply not good enough, period! This same reply’s to also to our middfield and attack as well and by this i dont mean that the players who started besides the first Chile game were wrong starter but the substitutions also by allways taking Lo Celso first out has obviously very big and too much strong a negative impact to our game and also we could have tried different players and also by bringing them more early on specially when we do need to score, period! So please mr. Scaloni i hope u stop your nonsense and fucking up our game by your substitutions which obviously are wrongly picked and very badly timed as well, period! Also why we did’nt try Palomino with Romero or Buendia etc… the list goes on !

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