THE ALBICELESTE Vence 1-2 to Ivory Coast

Minutes after the announcement that Barcelona will allow Lionel Messi stay in China to play JJOO, the Argentine striker gave the victory to his country's Olympic selection, with both himself and a scoring pass that put his team in front in the run-up.

The duel between the two strongest in Group A was hard from the start for the combined albiceleste, who in the first minute and took a shock when Gervinho was planted on the goal line, but fortunately for the Argentines cleared Young.



Following the warning, Argentina took him to find the pulse and the clash took a vibrant pace since the early moments, when Messi, in 6 minutes, put a ball at the feet of Kun Agüero within the area, which is not finished in goal because Angban the goalkeeper cleared with fists powerful shot from the front Athletes Madrid.

Despite the pace, counterattacks and physical forcefulness of Africans, the ball and playing opportunities were increasingly Argentine boots. The Ivorians did a very open game, retreated into defence and gamble on the quick counterattacks to reach door, but its holes were well exploited by the Argentines, who took care of the ball possession and lights his good touch, with long, accurate passes .

Thus Argentina was creating several occasions, including a shot from the edge of the area Kun, to pass Messi, who came out (min. 27) and a pass since the end of the banda,'s own Agüero to Lavezzi, not the number 9 reached at the last moment to put on the net with the tip of the foot (min. 32).

However, the Argentine did not stop pushing, and in 43 minutes, Messi received a long pass from Riquelme in depth that left him just before the Ivorian goalkeeper in the area, without the defense Diarrassouba could reach it. The club is not what he thought, and with a gentle touch sent the ball to fund the network premiered the Argentine accountant.

However, the advantage argentina changed in the second half, and an impeccable air pass from the edge of the area, the Ivorian Cissé (Roda Kerkrade, Netherlands) reached 1-1 by overcoming a high Zabaleta and placed the ball for a header where the goalkeeper could not reach Ustari (min. 53).

The opportunities were multiplying by both sides, and after a goal annulled for offside by Agüero (min. 65), there were several opportunities Gervinho, Bagayoko and Di Maria, until Messi Cole was in the area to launch an orange ball that cleared Angban.

However, his clearance went to the foot of newly entered the field Acosta, who scored the 2-1 (min. 85), while Messi held embracing, among others, Riquelme, and the party that ruled for Argentina put at the top of Group A in the eliminatory.

[Video Goal]

The Argentine Olympic selector, Sergio Batista, confirmed the 18 players who will participate in the Games in Beijing. Thus, Argentina will be attended by Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and Fernando Gago to defend the gold medal in Athens 2004 obtained.



The biggest uncertainty of the call was resolved with the inclusion of the Inter defence, Nicolas Burdisso, as a third player older than 23 years, before the negative Bayern Munich's Martin Demichelis to give in to and Deportivo La Coruna for this square had been for Fabricio Coloccini.

Besides Burdisso, Juan Roman Riquelme and Javier Mascherano will be the other two Olympic completing the list of Sergio Batista. Others who surprised by its inclusion on campus were Argentine Olympic Lautaro Acosta, new recruitment of Seville, and Boca defender youth, Luciano Munoz.

List summoned:
Goalkeepers: Oscar USTARI (Getafe) and Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar).

Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol), Luciano Monzon (Boca Juniors), Ezequiel Garay (Real Madrid), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Federico Fazio (Seville) and Lautaro Acosta (Seville).

Midfielders: Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors), Ever Banegas (Valencia), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool) and Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich)

Strikers: Diego Buonanotte (River Plate), Sergio Agüero (athletics Madrid), Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Naples) and Angel Di Maria (Benfica).

Substitutes: Nicolas Navarro (Naples), Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht), Nicholas Young (Anderlecht) and Emiliano Insúa (Liverpool).

U.S. not surrendered to Argentina as did Mexico, which ended up getting four goals in a recital of Messi and Agüero. The Yankees do not fit either one and having a bit of pointing would have brought victory and pride, nothing more (and nothing less) had at stake.

Alfio Basile repeated with the 3-4-3 system that gave him such a good result before the Mexicans and placed on the lawn to nine players from the Spanish League: Abbondanzieri, Gonzalo, Heinze, Zabaleta, Gago, Maxi, Agüero, Banegas and Messi. This is situated in the beam and then fired again and again and Cruz Agüero goal against Howard. But the goal of Everton was showcased again and again. Particularly bitter left the Gardener Cruz after winning three hand in hand followed.

In the second half Coco Basile changed the picture. Zabaleta late to the side for play with a 4-4-2. Almost cost him the match. United States is stretched and stayed with the ball and sometimes, but Abbondanzieri did well their work.