Argentine Olympic soccer coach ready for Iraq duty

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It was sweet revenge for Argentina.

Last year, the Argentine national squad was humiliated 3-0 by Brazil in the Copa America final in Maracaibo.

On Tuesday, Argentina, reigning Olympic champions, turned the tables. The Argentines dispatched their biggest rival 3-0 in an Olympic semifinal match to move into the finals against powerful Nigeria. This will be a rematch of the 1996 finals in Atlanta, won by Nigeria, 3-2.

Afterward, two superstars and Barcelona ex-teammates — Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Ronaldinho (now with AC Milan) — embraced on the pitch.

The euphoric Argentina coach, Sergio Batista, declared:

‘With these 18 players, I’ll go fight in Iraq.’’

Here are some local links:

Olé (Argentina); Clarin, Argentina; Lance, Brazil.

-- Andres D’Alessandro in Buenos Aires and Patrick J. McDonnell in Sucre, Bolivia.