Copa America 2019: Qatar 0-2 Argentina - 3 talking points
Having failed to pick up maximum points in their opening two matches at the ongoing Copa America, Argentina found themselves heading into their final group game against Qatar staring elimination in the face.
Anything other than a victory would have seen Lionel Scaloni and his players pack up their bags and leave (which would have marked the first time Argentina suffered a first-round elimination from the Copa America) and had that happened, there are not many who would have missed them.
However, Argentina did just enough to sneak through, defeating the surprise Asian champions 2-0 to move into second place and book a clash with Venezuela in the next round (thus avoiding hosts and favorites Brazil). In this piece, we shall be highlighting three talking points from the Group B clash.
Also see : Womens World Cup Bracket, Gold Cup Standings, Copa America Standings.
#3 Despite the victory, Argentina were still underwhelming
A repeated criticism of the Argentine national team in the last few years is how lethargic and disjointed their play has been and so far, their performances in the Copa America have been the perfect example of this.
In the games against Colombia and Paraguay, the 14-time Copa America winners failed to pull their weight and despite getting the victory against Qatar, there were still signs of the problems which have plagued them over the years.
There was a lack of fluidity and rhythm in their play, with Lautaro Martinez being the only vibrant attacker on the night, while their defensive line showed plenty signs of nervousness and uncertainty which would have seen a more technical team with better quality players take advantage.
The victory over Qatar guarantees that Argentina's Copa America journey would continue for at least four more days, but beyond that, there are no promises from this team of disjointed performers and if their quest for a first major trophy in 28 years is to be successful, the players must step up their game massively.