Stormy draw for Argies
Argentina and Colombia both finished with 10 men after a stormy 0-0 draw in South American qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup here on Friday.
The Argentinians had striker Gonzalo Higuain sent off after a clash with Colombia’s Cristian Zapata midway through the first half and also saw two second-half goals from Sergio Aguero disallowed for offside.
Venezuelan referee Marlon Escalante was escorted from the field at the whistle after a bruising contest which saw the home side’s players and coaching staff protest furiously after the second of Aguero’s two efforts was ruled out.
Messi starts on bench
Argentina, who lead the standings by five points and remain on course for an automatic qualifying berth with four games left to play, started a gripping contest at the Monumental Stadium with skipper Lionel Messi on the bench.
The Barcelona star, who is nursing himself back to fitness after a hamstring injury, was eventually brought on early in the second half but was unable to break the deadlock for Argentina against a fiercely committed Colombian outfit.
Colombia, who moved up to second ahead of Ecuador on goal difference, were well worth a point but Argentina will feel aggrieved after Aguero’s second disallowed effort, which appeared to have been wrongly adjudged offside. A breathless opening 45 minutes saw both sides carve out a series of chances, with Argentina setting the pace before Colombia gained a foothold.
The frenetic pace saw players from both sides flying into some full-blooded challenges, and tensions boiled over on 26 minutes when Higuain and Zapata were given their marching orders.
Zapata saw red after appearing to lash out with a boot in retaliation for a sly kick by Higuain at the back of the defender’s legs as he thwarted the Argentinian.
It was a sour note to a compelling first half, which had seen Argentina repeatedly threaten the Colombian goal early on only to be denied by some phenomenal saves from the visiting goalkeeper David Ospina.
Ospina needed to be alert on 13 minutes when Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria rifled in an angled volley from the edge of the area which the Colombian keeper gathered.
Moments later Colombia should have taken the lead when Napoli’s Juan Zuniga burst down the right and crosse for Radamel Falcao.
Falcao had time and space but could only screw his header wide from close-range.
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