|
|
Argentina's Sergio Batista praises 'fantastic' Lionel Messi after Copa America victory over Costa Rica
Content after recording a comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica, Batista praised the attitude of his players in bouncing back from two poor performances
Jul 11, 2011 11:24:00 PM
By Daniel Edwards
GettyImages
CORDOBA, Argentina -- Relieved Argentina coach Sergio Batista singled out Lionel Messi as his star after overcoming Costa Rica 3-0 in a crucial Copa America clash.
The Albiceleste suffered during a first-half marked by missed opportunities, but found its scoring boots just before the break and ran out comfortable winners over the Central Americans. Sergio Aguero scored a fine double to become Copa top-scorer, while Angel Di Maria notched the third to secure victory.
Barcelona star Messi stole the show, however, and was named man-of-the-match after a much-improved performance where he provided two assists.
Speaking after the match, the coach chose to praise his No. 10, highlighting the 23-year-old's strength of character following criticism during the week.
"He played a fantastic game," Batista told reporters during the post-match press conference.
"We talked a lot about the emotional and individual state of the team before the match. We needed to regain our confidence. Lionel knows how to overcome these situations, he has great character."
Batista also spoke of the tactical changes he made before the pivotal Group A decider, which confirmed Argentina's passage to the last-eight behind Colombia in second place.
"We sought more penetration and bodies in attack," the coach explained.
"There was a change of mentality here and we kept the ball without confusion, we did not let ourselves become disorganized. "
"I have always had a strong view on how football should be played, but I am not too proud to change. We are always looking for the best for this team."
Argentina will now look to Group C to find out who its quarterfinal rivals will be, with the runner-up of that group earning the right to play the hosts.
Follow Goal.com on
to get the latest soccer news directly. Check out Goal.com's 
page; be part of the best soccer fan community in the world!
The Albiceleste suffered during a first-half marked by missed opportunities, but found its scoring boots just before the break and ran out comfortable winners over the Central Americans. Sergio Aguero scored a fine double to become Copa top-scorer, while Angel Di Maria notched the third to secure victory.
Barcelona star Messi stole the show, however, and was named man-of-the-match after a much-improved performance where he provided two assists.
Speaking after the match, the coach chose to praise his No. 10, highlighting the 23-year-old's strength of character following criticism during the week.
"He played a fantastic game," Batista told reporters during the post-match press conference.
"We talked a lot about the emotional and individual state of the team before the match. We needed to regain our confidence. Lionel knows how to overcome these situations, he has great character."
Batista also spoke of the tactical changes he made before the pivotal Group A decider, which confirmed Argentina's passage to the last-eight behind Colombia in second place.
"We sought more penetration and bodies in attack," the coach explained.
"There was a change of mentality here and we kept the ball without confusion, we did not let ourselves become disorganized. "
"I have always had a strong view on how football should be played, but I am not too proud to change. We are always looking for the best for this team."
Argentina will now look to Group C to find out who its quarterfinal rivals will be, with the runner-up of that group earning the right to play the hosts.
Follow Goal.com on
to get the latest soccer news directly. Check out Goal.com's page; be part of the best soccer fan community in the world!
Make Your Prediction Choose match
Argentina - Brazil
Argentina
Brazil
Prediction Submitted
Most Popular Predictions
-
Argentina 2-1 Brazil
- 14 %
-
Argentina 3-1 Brazil
- 12.53 %
-
Argentina 1-2 Brazil
- 10.61 %
Inside Goal.Com
-
RIGG: Anelka struggling against the current in Shanghai
Nicolas Anelka went against the grain when he moved to Shanghai. Now he's finding that coaching and gelling tactically is like swimming against the tide.
-
ROGERS: Bradley should command a bidding war among Serie A teams
Chievo is currently shopping the American midfielder and several Italian clubs have shown interest.
-
ISOLA: Neymar-led Brazil should be considered the 2014 WC favorite
Neymar was brilliant as Brazil easily handled the United States with early World Cup preparations officially underway.
-
LATHAM: Mexico using summer friendlies to build depth
With World Cup qualifying to begin in June, Mexico is using three U.S.-hosted friendlies to build squad depth.
-
McCARTHY: Harrisburg springs its wildest Open Cup upset to date
The City Islanders fought back from three goals down with nine minutes to play and won the game on penalty kicks in a stunning game on a wild night for the U.S. Open Cup.