What does life without Lionel Messi look like? Thanks to that tennis ball-sized right ankle which forced him out of the Copa América final and has prevented him from taking the field for the following two months, Argentina caught a glimpse of what that future may hold. And thankfully, it is not entirely bleak.
The Leo-less Selección may have dropped three points during September’s World Cup qualifying double-header, but there is no reason to panic. Argentina are still cruising towards their defence of the title in the United States, Mexico and Canada two years from now, with defeat against Colombia looking more like an unwelcome bump in the road than cause for real concern.
Messi’s absence did prompt a reshuffle in Lionel Scaloni’s tactical repertoire. Against Chile the coach opted for a seldom-seen back three, a decision also influenced by Nicolás Tagliafico’s withdrawal through injury. Further up the field, there was finally room to pick Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez in the same front line, a choice that was maintained for the Colombia match – unlike in defence, where the more familiar four-man unit was restored with Lisandro Martínez filling in at left-back.
At the Monumental at least everything went according to plan. In a game that at times felt more like a celebratory exhibition than a competitive qualifier Chile were outgunned throughout, falling to a 3-0 reverse that never looked in doubt. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring just after the break by finishing off a slick team move, while Álvarez and Paulo Dybala added their own efforts to bolster the margin of victory late on against a side in such disarray they would go on to lose at home to Bolivia five days later, the latter’s first away victory for 31 years.
Predictably, Colombia put up much more of a fight. In a game reminiscent of July’s final, and with the added ingredients of the searing afternoon heat in Barranquilla and the hosts’ determination to gain revenge for that defeat, Argentina once more struggled to break down a team that has been drilled to perfection by former Albiceleste U23 coach Néstor Batista. Nor could they stop the Cafeteros’ not-so secret weapon: the dead ball, expertly delivered by James Rodríguez, is their speciality, and it was through his corner that Santiago Mosquera gave Colombia the lead.
In similar sticky situations over the past decade and a half Messi could reliably be counted upon to come through with a moment of individual brilliance and turn the tables. In his stead, the unlikely figure of Nico González stepped up. The winger carved through the Colombia defence and finished with aplomb to level the game with what amounted to Argentina’s only shot on target of the entire encounter. But it was all for nothing: a soft penalty conceded by Nicolás Otamendi allowed James to cap his perfect afternoon and seal a 2-1 win, which ended on a rather ugly note with scuffles on the pitch and an altercation between Emiliano Martínez and a cameraman.
Despite going down for the first time since last November and only their second defeat in the two years that have passed following World Cup glory, Argentina will not mourn the setback for too long. They were unfortunate to lose against a very strong Colombia team, arguably the second-best on the continent right now and with that aforementioned extra motivation to drive them on.
Back-to-back goalless draws for Uruguay meant the Selección’s position at the top of qualifying remains intact, and qualification itself still a formality. While it is also a surprise to see La Scaloneta stall even momentarily, most of the football world was focused on another shock capitulation on the part of a Brazil team in the midst of an acute identity crisis, this time to Paraguay. Tuesday was a reminder that the post-Messi era, whenever it finally comes, will not be entirely painless; tough tests like this may actually pay off in the long run as Argentina continue the process of defining themselves without the most talented player on the planet in tow.
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