Argentina 0-0 Colombia: 5 things we learned as Carlos Tevez scores decisive penalty to seal semi-final spot for Argentina

Carlos Tévez completed a dream night by scoring the decisive penalty against Colombia to send Argentina into the semi-finals of the Copa América.
The striker’s much-discussed return to his boyhood club Boca Juniors was confirmed at the start of the second half and the man they call ‘the people’s player’ sent the ball beyond the otherwise outstanding David Ospina to settle a manic shoot-out after team-mates Lucas Biglia and Marcos Rojo had missed the target.
Colombia had been clearly the second best team over the 90 minutes (Copa América games go straight to penalties, with no extra-time played) but somehow clung on to force penalties, only for Luis Muriel, Juan Camilo Zuñiga and Jeison Murillo to all miss, allowing Tevéz to win it.
But don’t be fooled by the scoreline, this was one of the most entertaining goalless draws in living memory.
Argentina dominated the first half but Ospina made a jaw-dropping double save to keep out Aguero’s shot and then Messi’s rebounded header. After the break Éver Banega clipped the bar and Ospina turned Nicolas Otamendi’s header onto the far post, and in the final minute Murillo raced back to clear Tévez’s rolling shot off the line.
Here’s five things we learned from this thrilling spectacle in Viña del Mar.

1) Tévez buries memory of 2011 elimination

PABLO PORCIUNCULA

Winners! Argentine players celebrate after Carlos Tevez scored the winning penalty

The winning strike was even sweeter for Tévez as the memory of his last spot-kick for his country still looms large.
The Albiceleste were eliminated from the last Copa América, which was held in Argentina, precisely because of Tévez’s missed spot-kick against Uruguay in a quarter final shoot-out.
He was the only player to miss from 12 yards in Santa Fe as Argentina were knocked out by their local rivals, and the miss preceded a long spell outside the national team, including being left out of the World Cup squad.
Gerado Martino even admitted that very miss was the reason why he did not want substitute Tévez to take a penalty, explaining while Ezequiel Garay, Rojo, Biglia and Lavezzi all stepped up before him. But this time Tévez made no mistake.

LUIS ACOSTA

Redemption! Carlos Tevez (L) celebrates with goalkeeper Sergio Romero after scoring his shot in the penalty shoot-out

Few Argentina players can boast of the devotion the supporters have for ‘El Apache’, with only Messi’s name getting the same vociferous response when it is read out before games, and his place in Argentinian’s hearts, perhaps even the odd River Plate fan, was further secured with his decisive penalty.
After having the final word in the shoot-out, his first penalty for his country since the Uruguay miss, the Boca bound striker said: “This is football and it always gives you a chance for revenge.”

2) Colombia resort to nefarious tactics without their rock Sánchez

The big news an hour before kick off was that José Pekerman’s blind loyalty to Radamel Falcao had expired, with Jackson Martínez starting in his place, but his team were affected much more by the loss of holding midfielders Carlos Sánchez, through suspension, and Edwin Valencia, through injury.

CLAUDIO REYES

Jackson Martinez (front) got the nod in the match, but couldn't find the net

Although Sánchez has not convinced all Aston Villa supporters in his first season in England, he has lived up to his nick-name ‘The Rock’ with his national team, shackling Neymar in his team’s only win of the tournament, and also kept Messi out of the game when the two sides drew 0-0 in the 2011 Copa América.
His replacement Alexander Mejia could not offer the same midfield stability, and Pekerman’s side were overrun in the middle throughout, resorting to numerous tactical fouls, picking up a total of five yellow cards.

3) James Rodríguez suffers from ‘difficult second tournament’ syndrome

LUIS ACOSTA

Second season syndrome? Colombia's James Rodriguez (C) has had a disappointing tournament

The Golden Boot winner and stand-out player at the World Cup looked all set to shine again in Chile but, rather like his team as a whole, his tournament was a huge disappointment.
Aside from a few bright sparks of play in the victory over Brazil, the 23-year-old was unable to reproduce the moments which enraptured football supporters last summer and delighted Real Madrid fans in his debut season at the Bernabéu.
He was anonymous in the opening defeat to Venezuela, and cut a frustrated figure in the draw with Peru, narrowly avoiding getting sent off when elbowing Luis Advíncula in the face.
He looked irked here too, talking himself into a booking early on for protesting referee Roberto García’s decision to give Argentina a throw in. He also looked shot of confidence, losing his balance in a rare attacking opportunity for Colombia in the second half.

4) Ospina can give Cech competition next season

CLAUDIO REYES

Outstanding: David Ospina had a superb match

The Arsenal goalkeeper was the only reason Colombia stayed in this game in the 90 minutes.
He somehow managed to deny both Agüero and Messi in Argentina’s best opportunity before the break, rising from the ground with remarkable sharpness to punch away the latter’s header.
Earlier he stopped Jeison Murillo scoring in his own net by turning the ball round his post, and in the second half pushed Otamendi’s crashing header onto the post.
The stopper was also quick off his line to prevent Ángel Di Maria getting on the end of a lofted pass from Messi, but came out too early and was beaten by Tévez in the final minute, only for Murillo to return the favour and get his goalkeeper out of trouble.
Ospina’s name was chanted by the hopeful Colombia fans before the shoot-out, but he could not get his hands on any of Argentina’s penalties.
His chances of being Arsenal no. 1 next season look slim with the imminent arrival of Petr Cech, but he remains a hero to his country and will keep the veteran on his toes if he decides to stay at the Emirates.

5) Argentina struggling to take chances

JUAN BARRETO

Profligate: Argentina need to take their chances if they are to win the tournament

This was arguably Argentina’s best performance of the tournament and they had their compatriot Pekerman’s side on the ropes for long spells here, but they had to rely on a nail-biting penalty shoot-out to sneak through to the last four.
Their profligacy has been a big theme of their tournament, dominating against Paraguay but throwing a two-goal lead to draw, and then only beating Uruguay and Jamaica by a solitary goal.
“You cannot legislate for players of the ability of ours missing so many chances,” lamented Martino after their final group stage game as Di María and Gonzalo Higuaín fluffed their lines, and the problem did not go away against Colombia, with Messi, Agüero and Tévez all failing to finish simple chances.
With a possible showdown with their greatest rivals Brazil awaiting them next, they desperately need to solve this issue and turn their chances into goals.
All the best pics from the match:

Sport 05:11