Copa America: Messi Start for Argentina

Copa America: Messi Start for Argentina

Argentina vs Paraguay

It really wasn’t supposed to be like this! But the second round of fixtures looks much more serious for Lionel Messi. Copa America Argentina vs Paraguay is a must-win game.

Argentina fans are desperate for some success, the players are desperate for some success and their best player and talisman must be starting to wonder whether it will come in time for him. Messi couldn’t prevent an opening fixture defeat to Colombia but he needs to do something about Paraguay.

He had another record-breaking season in La Liga in which every time Barcelona needed him to perform Messi came up with the goods, often in spectacular fashion. So why doesn’t it always happen for Argentina?

It’s not yet time to panic. The Argentina vs Paraguay betting odds say the 2016 finalists will win this game to get their 2019 challenge back on track. But their opponents are starting too, after conceding a two-goal lead to rank outsiders Qatar.

It’s time for Argentina to move up a gear.

Talking Points

How will Argentina respond?

Head coach Lionel Scaloni was brought in to end Argentina’s trophy drought but he’ll be scratching his head after his Group B campaign got off the worst possible start. Argentina dominated for long periods but they were rattled, a nasty challenge from Juan Cuadrado on Messi sparking a mass brawl, and then the favourites were hit by two sucker punches.

After finishing second in the last two Copa Americas this was hardly the start Scaloni had envisaged but now he needs to see a response from his side. Messi has 67 goals in 131 appearances for his country, which has to cast doubt on criticism that he doesn’t always play as well for Argentina as he does for Barca. But very little went right for him against Colombia. He came close to opening the scoring with a follow up from Nicolas Otamendi’s header, but later missed the best chance of the game screwing the ball wide with the goal gaping, and that before Colombia had scored.

Messi can’t do it all on his own, and with Manchester City’s excellent goal scorer

Sergio Aguero alongside him surely they can beat Paraguay.

The latest SBOBET odds have Argentina at 1.42 to win this huge game.

When was the last time Argentina and Germany, two great nations of world football were outside the top ten teams in the world? They are tied in 11^th place in the FIFA rankings. Argentina needs to reach the final of this competition, and preferably win it to start a climb back to the top.

Paraguay’s moment of madness

If Eduardo Berizzo’s Paraguay had any real prospect of going deep into this competition then an opening fixture against Qatar was surely a must-win game. But they fluffed it in spectacular fashion!

With a 2-1 lead and time running out Qatar’s Boualem Khoukhi squeezed a shot through Paraguay keeper Roberto Fernandez but defender Rodrigo looked set to nod the ball wide for a corner; but only succeeded in planting it in his own net, before following the ball in and injuring himself in the process.

It was clowning of the highest order but Berizzo wasn’t laughing. The head coach was quite grumpy about the whole affair, saying Qatar and Japan shouldn’t be in the competition, hardly a surprising response but I bet he wouldn’t have minded had his defence cleared their lines.

Paraguay is at 7.20 to win this game and next up they have Colombia so it looks like Berizzo’s men have a mountain to climb. They somehow need to score against Argentina.

Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron hasn’t scored for Paraguay in 17 appearances,

but his pace and creativity could make him one of the surprise packages of tournament, while veteran Oscar Cardozo scored his 12^th international goal against Qatar.

History

The head to head Argentina vs Paraguay results make decent reading for Argentina who have won six of the last 13 meetings, with four drawn and there have been three wins for Paraguay. But the favourites have won only one of the last four meetings, that a 6-1 thumping of Paraguay in the 2015 Copa America. Aguero was on target while Angel Di Maria bagged a brace.

Twice World Cup champions and 14 times winner of the Copa America, Argentina is desperate for more success, last lifting this trophy in 1993. They have been runners up in the Copa four times this century, falling at the final hurdle in both 2015 and 2016.

Paraguay are twice winners of this competition, the last time in 1979.

Betting Tip

Half Time Full Time Argentina @ 2.04

The draw at 4.20, or a shock Paraguay win are both unlikely. Argentina needs to win this game to get back into Group B contention, and with Qatar to come, three points will put an entirely different complexion on things for Messi and co.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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