Messi and co fail against Paraguay
After coming so close to winning last year’s World Cup only to fall at the final hurdle, Argentina head into today’s game knowing that a victory is desperately needed if they are to have any hope of picking up their first international title in 22 years.
They have looked incredibly dangerous on the pitch in recent months, losing just one of their last six games and thrashing Bolivia 5-0 last weekend.
Plus, coach Gerardo Martino, who took over from Alejandro Sabella last August, knew many of this Paraguay team well, as he led them to the final of the 2011 Copa America, where they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Uruguay.
Despite reaching the final in the last edition of the tournament, Paraguay failed to win a single game in 90 minutes, instead relying on penalty shootout victories against both Brazil and Venezuela on their way to their defeat against Uruguay.
Since then they have struggled to find any sort of decent form, and they head into yesterday's difficult game with just one victory from their nine games, a truly dismal record that leaves them under no illusion that they are the underdogs.
They also failed to beat Argentina in their last three encounters against the favourites to win this year’s competition, shipping 12 goals during that time.
Paraguay came from two goals down to claim a a share of the spoils from a late 2-2 draw in their Copa America's Group B opener against Argentina in La Serena on Saturday.
Argentina went 2-0 up thanks to first-half goals from Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi but their opponents struck back through Nelson Haedo Valdez and Luca Barrios for a point at Estadio La Portada.
The result left Argentina second in the group standings, with Paraguay below them level with one point after Cristian Rodriguez handed leaders Uruguay a 1-0 triumph against Jamaica in the other group B clash.
Argentina XI (4-3-3): Romero; Roncaglia, Otamendi, Garay, Rojo; Banega, Mascherano, Pastore; Messi, Aguero, Di Maria.
Paraguay XI (4-3-3): Silva; M. Caceres, Da Silva, Aguilar, Samudio; V. Caceres, Ortigoza, Ortiz; Valdez, Santa Cruz, Bobadilla.