Argentina Stellar in Rout of Colombia
Argentina easily ousted defending champion Colombia, 3-0, on Tuesday and cruised into the Copa America final for the first time since its 14th and last championship in 1993.
Carlos Tevez scored his second free-kick goal in as many games in the 32nd minute, Luis Gonzalez hit a running shot in off a Luciano Figueroa pass in the 50th, and Juan Pablo Sorin knocked in a header in the 81st minute to cap an unexpectedly comfortable victory.
“Argentina showed flashes of playing at its best today,” Argentina Coach Marcelo Bielsa said. “Only rarely have we played better.”
Colombia’s 10-match unbeaten streak in the tournament since 2001 ended in a timid and seemingly nervous display on its Independence Day.
In Sunday’s final, Argentina will play either Brazil or Uruguay, who meet in the second semifinal at National Stadium tonight.
Colombia will play the loser for third place in Cuzco on Saturday.
“We have to go out of the tournament playing as well as we can,” said Colombia Coach Reinaldo Rueda. “Tonight Argentina was too much for us. They showed personality, were dynamic, and played with precision.”
Argentina pinned Colombia on defense for most of the match, and the defending champion seemed to pay Argentina too much respect and not take any risks until down 2-0 in the second half.
Cesar Delgado, Gonzalez and Sorin all took shots on goal in the opening 15 minutes as Argentina showed the attacking flair that has netted it a tournament-high 14 goals in five matches.
It wasn’t until the 19th minute that Colombia put Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri to work when Abel Aguilar’s cross forced him to come off his line to make a leaping save.
Five minutes later, Gonzalez had an even better look at goal when Figueroa’s shot left goalkeeper Juan Carlos Henao sprawled on the ground, and Luis Gonzalez’s left-footed shot was headed off the goal line by Colombia defender Andres Gonzalez.
Tevez scored when he curved the ball over a six-man Colombian wall and past a diving Henao.
