Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates his side’s third goal against Ecuador during the Copa America quarter-final football match at the Olimpico Stadium in Goiânia, Brazil, on Saturday, July 3.
Argentina will be confident that Lionel Messi will find a way to return to the Copa America final on Tuesday, defeating Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina at the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia.
The impressive beat Ospina and Colombia, and Argentina will take on Brazil in Saturday’s decider.
Messi has been in Barcelona form, scoring four goals and providing four assists in one of the best tournament appearances of his Argentine career. The Copa America’s top scorer helped his teammates once and twice as they beat Ecuador 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
Ospina stopped two penalties in a shootout against Uruguay in the quarter-finals, was instrumental in a 0–0 draw in regulation time, and plays a key leadership role for a team scoring only three times throughout the tournament.
Messi wants his first major title with Argentina, who have not won a trophy since the 1993 Copa America. Colombia’s drought is not that long, but it had its only Copa title in 2001.
Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni praised Colombia as “a tough opponent” and was wary that it would return Juan Guillermo Cuadrado from suspension.
Scoloni, who led Argentina on an unbeaten 18-match streak, said: “We look forward to playing the match with the same intensity, same willpower.”
German Pezzella is expected to bring back defender Cristian Romero. He still has doubts on his left back between Marcos Acua and Nicolas Tagliafico. There is also the option to make in the midfield between Leandro Paredes and Guido Rodriguez.
“Argentina is a very compact team, very mature. You need to put in a lot of effort, play with intelligence to strike a balance,” Colombia coach Reynaldo Rueda said.
Colombia will count on the return of Cuadrado. He was suspended against Uruguay.
“Not only him (Messi), Argentina have a lot of players who can hurt under any circumstances,” Cuadrado warned. “We should not focus only on Messi. We will play the final against Argentina. We are not giving 100%, we are giving 200%.”
Rueda’s main doubt is who will be Duvan Zapata’s accomplice; Rafael Santos Borre or Luis Muriel?
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