Argentina's awful performance in the Copa America continue as they failed to beat Paraguay in their second game after losing their first match against Colombia 2-0. The Albiceleste are only just clinging to hopes of securing progress after being held to a 1-1 draw, with their coach conceding they are fortunate.
Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloni admitted after the game that Argentina were "lucky" to still be alive in the Copa America after their 1-1 draw with Paraguay. Lionel Messi's second-half penalty cancelled out Richard Sanchez's goal in the Group B clash in Belo Horizonte.
But Argentina also needed goalkeeper Franco Armani's magic to keep their Copa America hopes alive, the River Plate shotstopper saved a spot-kick from Derlis Gonzalez to earn his side their first point of the tournament. Scaloni, whose team are facing a group-stage exit and need a win over Qatar on Sunday, said Argentina were fortunate.
Argentina struggled throughout the first half and fell behind to Sanchez's 37th-minute goal, before Messi equalised after a penalty was awarded following a VAR review for handball. Armani stepped up for Argentina in the 63rd minute, though, diving to his left to push away a Gonzalez penalty.
"The solution is that we have to win. We are lucky to be alive," he told a news conference. "We have to look more like the second half, but be more balanced and thus be able to manage the game."
He added: "Our first half was not good, we played with desperation at times and we couldn't control the play or create attacks. "We had a very clear plan but couldn't execute it as we kept losing the ball. "They scored with their first attack and that caused us a lot of uncertainty. "For a team like Argentina, which feels like it always has to win, the first blow is hard to take, but we assured the players at half time that it was just one goal."
The introduction of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero after the break led to a more dangerous Argentina attack as the former Atletico Madrid forward played alongside Messi and Lautaro Martinez. But an unhappy Martinez was substituted in the 67th minute with what was later described as a glute injury.
"I don't know if it was the best version [before Martinez came off], but without a doubt it was the most dangerous," Scaloni said. "Sergio entered very well."
Messi on the other hand believe that Argentina will beat Qatar in their final group game at the Copa America, with the Barcelona superstar admitting an early exit from the competition would be "crazy". Scaloni's side have taken just one point from two games so far, but their Barcelona superstar skipper is confident they will advance.
Even with a win over Qatar on Sunday, Argentina might still not qualify for the knockout stages, but Messi said there was plenty of confidence in his team: "I see the team convinced that we will win the next match," he told reporters.
Messi added: "We have to keep looking for the team and improve. "Frankly, it's a little frustrating not being able to get the win we need to take the next step. "We knew this would be difficult, we're still looking for the best group, for the best performance, to keep growing."
Messi felt his side earned their point, saying: "The first few minutes we managed the ball well. "After the goal, we messed up a bit. In the second half, we went with everything and we got the draw."
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is confident that Argentina will raise their game when it matters, with a humbling departure from a tournament on Brazilian soil inconceivable.
Messi added: "[The squad] is hurt by the situation because we can't manage to win a game, and we know today was key for us. "We know we have to win the next game to advance. "We know we'll be playing for our lives. "It would be crazy if we can't advance from the group stage, when basically three [teams] advance from each group. I have no doubt we'll do it."
Argentina remain bottom of the group on one point, behind Colombia (six), Paraguay (two) and Qatar (one) ahead of Sunday's games.
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