Argentina came to the Copa America with coach Sergio Batista admitting they were ‘blessed’ with five centre forwards. But in belatedly accepting that world player of the year Lionel Messi is not really one of them and that Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero definitely is Batista appears to have stumbled on the key to a potential record 15th Copa title.
Against Bolivia and Colombia, the albiceleste’s top-heavy forward line ran around to little effect, scoring a grand total of one goal – from Aguero, on as a substitute. Recognising the need for change, Batista made the difficult decision to drop crowd favourite Carlos Tevez, put his faith in Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain with Messi playing off them, and sowed the seeds for a rampaging win over Costa Rica which finally saw Messi start to show his best creative form.
The jury may still be out on Higuain, who missed a hatful of chances in the 3-0 win. But the trident of forwards from Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid appears to comprise the ingredients of a recipe to savour as they head into a quarter-final with Uruguay. Messi is delighted to have Aguero, Diego Maradona’s son-in-law and a mooted replacement for Tevez at Manchester City, in the side as the pair go back a long way, having won the 2008 Olympic tournament together. In 18 internationals in tandem, they have netted 14 goals – eight for Aguero and six for Maradona “heir” Messi. Those matches have harvested 13 wins and just two losses – away World Cup qualifiers to Chile and Paraguay.
