Argentina (National Football)

Argentina have the luxury of knowing that whatever the result in their final Copa America 2016 group game, they are guaranteed passage to the quarter-finals, and most likely in first place. And their road to the last eight in the United States, once again, has been fired by the contributions of one city in particular. 

Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe some 180 miles from Buenos Aires, is a football town. Its 1.2 million inhabitants are roughly divided into two distinct camps, those who follow Newell's Old Boys and supporters of Rosario Central, making for arguably Argentina's fiercest derby rivalry after Boca Juniors and River Plate. 

Both giants have made waves in Argentine football recently.

Under the tutelage of Gerardo Martino, Newell's built their best team since Marcelo Bielsa was in charge during the early 1990s, winning the 2013 Torneo Final. The side also battled to the Copa Libertadores semi-final in 2013, where only Ronaldinho's Atletico Mineiro and a late defeat stopped them from making the decider. 

Central, meanwhile, have risen from a painful stay in the second-tier Nacional B to re-establish themselves as one of the toughest teams in the country. A youthful side coached by Eduardo Coudet pushed Boca all the way in last year's Primera Division, while a last-minute Atletico Nacional goal knocked them out of the Libertadores this year in heartbreaking fashion.

Both teams regularly pack their home stadiums, with attendances near 40,000 common week in, week out.

That passion is not exempt from the violence that plagues the sport. Just hours before Argentina kicked off their Copa America campaign, Matias Franchetti, one of the "capos" of Newell's "barra brava" hooligan group, was shot dead in front of the club gates by unknown assailants on a motorcycle (per La Capital, in Spanish).

This mob-style hit is not uncommon in the murky world of the barras, where rival factions of the same team fight for the lucrative profits synonymous with control of the stands. 

Amos Barshad's account of Rosario's barra problems for The Fader offers a summary of the problem. “Under the pretext of love of a club, spurious criminal business structures are hidden," a Rosario prosecutor explained, and massive illicit profits have fuelled violence, which has little, if anything, to do with football.

In Santa Clara, however, the Rosario connection drove Argentina to victory against Chile. Ever Banega's pass shortly after half-time set up Angel Di Maria to break the deadlock, and the Paris Saint-Germain star returned the favour for the midfielder to double the lead. 

Further back, Javier Mascherano, from the nearby city of San Lorenzo but schooled in the legendary Rosario feeder club Renato Cesarini, ensured that the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal were kept at bay with a typically biting midfield display. Against Panama, too, the city was once more at the forefront. 

Di Maria had time to set up Nicolas Otamendi's opener against Panama before he was forced off with an injury, the sole blemish on the Albiceleste's evening.

Later, Rosario's most famous son would come on to do his part; three goals for Lionel Messi broke the Canalero resolve and sent the nation marching into the quarters. To put it simply, the current national team would be a shadow of itself without the contribution of its second-largest urban area. 

Along with Di Maria, Messi, Banega and Mascherano, back-up goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman and Ezequiel Lavezzi also hail from the city. If not for a miserable run of injuries, Ezequiel Garay would almost certainly be in the U.S. too, marshalling the defence.

The man on the bench, Gerardo Martino, adds another name to the list as he aims for a third straight Copa America final as a coach—the winning man last time round, ex-Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli, is another neighbour. 

Nor does the production line show any sign of slowing down. Success in the Olympic Games will depend on young stars like Angel Correa and Mauro Icardi giving their best in Brazil. Outgoing Central pair Franco Cervi and Giovani Lo Celso will be soon lining up for Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, per Pagina 12 (h/t Get French Football News). Both will also be looking to shine, as will Gaston Gil Romero, Victor Salazar and Franco Escobar. 

All of the above call the "Cradle of the Argentine flag" home, and if the trend continues, a change in slogan to the "Cradle of the Argentine national team" may well be in order. 

The current generation of Albiceleste stars grew up in close proximity, in the fiercely competitive climes of infant football in the city. Banega, for one, remembers clashes with the young Messi when he was still learning his trade. 

"I was in a lower age category, but my father was the coach of the 1987 age group and he used to play me in that division," he told La Nacion (in Spanish) during the current Copa, as he recalled rather lopsided games between his Nuevo Horizonte team and the all-conquering Grandoli of La Pulga. 

"It was a waste of time because we would play against the dwarf and he made us all look stupid. He was tiny, the kit was too big for him, but what he used to do was already far too good." 

Almost all the Rosario contingent are further united by memories of past sacrifices. The city was one of the centres of Argentine industry and one of the hardest hit when the chimneys started to shut down in the 1990s. "All that was left was for us to eat was wet mud; it was a tough upbringing," Banega remembers of his infancy.

Di Maria helped out in his family's tiny coal-making shed to make ends meet between games as a youngster. 

Messi, meanwhile, was helped by a more affluent background, but he was not immune to the crisis of 2001. The sudden devaluation of the Argentine peso meant Newell's could no longer sustain his hormone treatments, putting in motion his emigration to Catalonia at the age of 13.

One of the most striking aspects of the current Argentina squad is its complete lack of divas or selfish personalities, and those shared childhood experiences surely explain at least, in part, this admirable solidarity. 

Banega and Mascherano will almost certainly receive a well-earned rest against Bolivia, while Messi will continue his gradual return from a back injury with a run-out, and Guzman and Lavezzi hope to make their first appearances in the dead rubber.

But one thing is for certain: Rosario will once more play a big part in the Albiceleste's plans, and the city's impeccable football pedigree continues to fire the national team. 

Argentina have not exactly been firing on all cylinders so far in the Copa America, but there have been few scares in what has traditionally been the team's Achilles' heel. The defence has stood up to all the tournament has thrown at it so far, and Ramiro Funes Mori has been a big factor in its stability. 

The Everton defender has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the football ranks in the last few years. Just three years ago, he was considered no more than a useful second-string full-back for River Plate and also had to bounce back from a serious knee injury that kept him out of the game almost six months. 

But if there is one thing Funes Mori does not lack, it is character. The young prospect bounced back and grabbed onto his favoured position at centre-back, and he wrote his name into River folklore with a last-minute headed winner to upset Boca Juniors in the Bombonera.

The Copa Libertadores and a lucrative move to Merseyside followed, and in the last six months, he has emerged as Argentina coach Gerardo Martino's first choice, as Nicolas Otamendi is the more mobile colleague in the middle. 

Questions over the 25-year-old, however, still remain. His talent is doubtless, but he has yet to shed the reputation of being a loose cannon, liable to explode and leave his team exposed. Funes Mori's introductory year in the Premier League did not shed those concerns: Some excellent performances for Everton were peppered with moments of catastrophic inattention, as well as his fair share of cards. 

The Copa America, then, represents a big test for the talented but erratic player. With the likes Ezequiel Garay and Mateo Musacchio left out, he and Otamendi were left as the only front-line defenders charged with keeping out the cream of South America's striking elite. So far, he has proved rather adept. 

In the opening clash, both Argentina and Chile's defence endured a torrid time in taking the ball out from the back. Each team looked to pressure high up the field, and the result was a breakdown in communications with the midfield.

Happily for the Albiceleste, Sergio Romero was there to save the team when Alexis Sanchez was left gloriously open to net the first, while at the other end Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega would both convert their chances. 

Against Panama, however, both Funes Mori and Otamendi looked far more comfortable. The Everton man completed 74 percent of his passes against the Roja, according to Opta's statistical analysis (h/t Goal Argentina), out of a total of 31 attempted, while he showed less inclination to try long passes than his defensive companions. 

On Friday evening, that accuracy rate rocketed to an impressive 93.4% (Goal), behind only Gabriel Mercado and the infallible Banega in the Argentina ranks. Funes Mori and Otamendi's precise movement from the back allowed Argentina to control the pace of the game, and before the entrance of Lionel Messi, the nation were far from their best. 

Those numbers coincide with the Argentine's consistency for Everton over the past year, as detailed by Who Scored. In 28 Premier League matches, he averaged an 83.8 percent success rate, at 44 per game, and this number should only rise as he continues his adaptation from the rough and tumble of Argentine domestic football. 

Funes Mori's movement against the Canaleros is also telling. In both games so far, Marcos Rojo has played in a far more advanced position than his counterpart on the opposite flank Mercado, featuring as a fourth midfielder in the Chile clash and on a par with Nicolas Gaitan in the second.

This left the Albiceleste exposed at times; both Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas looked to take advantage of the space left by doubling up on the Everton man, who nevertheless acquitted himself as well as could be hoped. 

The lesson was learned for Friday. Ramiro pushed out almost to act as an orthodox left-back, with Javier Mascherano accordingly dropping alongside Otamendi to plug the gap while Argentina attacked. Rojo was therefore given freedom to maraud, a gamble that paid off in the final minute as his cushioned header played in Sergio Aguero to finish the rout at 5-0.

It is precisely that tactical and spacial awareness that has been a weakness of Funes Mori's as he has come up the ranks, and his work in that area so far is encouraging. 

Finally, the defender has of yet been impeccable in his other blind spot, discipline. Amazingly for a player in his position, he has not given up a single foul, much less received a booking, while Otamendi committed two infractions to stop the Chile onslaught and three against Panama. Funes Mori is focused, calm and settled in the United States, and he's ready to keep surprising people along the way. 

The position of the second central defender, the No. 6 in informal parlance, has its own mythology surrounding it. It was the role of the great Daniel Passarella, of course, and El Kaiser helped define an age as he adapted Franz Beckenbauer's famous sweeper into a more swashbuckling figure, breaking up opposition attacks and surging up the field.

Oscar Ruggeri and Walter Samuel continued the legacy, but since the Inter star saw his international career ended by constant injury troubles following the 2010 World Cup, the spot has lay vacant without a real owner. 

Funes Mori still has a long way to go before he can be considered even in the same breath as those idols. But he has made an effortless transition first into European football and then into the Albiceleste, and his form at the Copa America suggests he is on the right track as the long-term partner to Otamendi. 

It only took Lionel Messi 29 minutes to send an ominous warning to the rest of the Copa America as Argentina steamed past Panama 5-0, inspired by an incredible hat-trick. Even more impressive, and troubling for the Albiceleste's rivals, was that the Argentina did so without even moving out of second gear. 

Messi's presence or otherwise at Chicago's Soldier Field was the big "will he, won't he?" soap opera of the week. The captain had failed to make an appearance during his nation's first outing, a tense 2-1 win over Chile, and it was suggested he was still working to get over a hefty knock to his back. 

In the meantime Leo was also faced with admonitory words from another Argentina legend. Diego Maradona had opined that Messi might lack the character to lead the team, as reported by ESPN. It is true that the softly-spoken playmaker is not a natural motivator, with Javier Mascherano a much more vocal figure on the pitch.

Diego, however, led by his example as well as his words to take Argentina to the World Cup 30 years ago this month—and Messi is following the same path. 

It was the opinion of this writer that Argentina, but more so Messi, would be better served limiting his playing time against a limited but hard-hitting Panama team. Coach Gerardo Martino compromised, leaving him on the bench for kick-off before easing him into the action with just over 60 minutes on the clock. 

Argentina without their star would still most likely have won against the Canaleros, who had already been reduced to 10 men, but the headlines around the world would look far different on Saturday morning. Messi's entrance invigorated a lacklustre team, and the side that started to jell around its No. 10 and inspiration was unrecognisable from that which had toiled for the first hour of the game. 

It had all looked so good for Martino's men in the opening stages of the Group D clash. After just seven minutes, Nicolas Otamendi headed home from a fine Angel Di Maria cross to mark the perfect start.

Panama were outmatched and responded with constant, blatant fouls that, while breaking up Argentina's rhythm somewhat, led to an ordinate number of yellow cards for the Central American nation—six in total—which could have serious ramifications for their decider against Chile.

But the 2015 finalists failed to take advantage, even playing with the numerical advantage thanks to Anibal Godoy's senseless second booking. It was a scene all too reminiscent of the first half against Chile: the midfield trio playing far too deep to push home the Argentines' clear superiority, Gonzalo Higuain a lone ranger in the penalty area, full-backs Marcos Rojo and Gabriel Mercado failing to expose Panama on the overlap. 

Di Maria's exit shortly before half-time further blunted Argentina's scarce attacking attributes. The Paris Saint-Germain winger limped off with an apparent muscle injury, and if a tear is confirmed, it could end his Copa America campaign, in a worrying repeat of his fitness problems in both last year's tournament and the 2014 World Cup.

Without Fideo, the lack of collective coherency in the side was even more evident, and while Panama did not look likely to mount a comeback from 1-0 down, the result was far from comfortable. 

Cue the biggest cheer of the evening, at least up to that point. A calm Messi was called off the bench by Martino just past the hour mark, in a move that was surely planned by the coach beforehand. The Soldier Field crowd gave him a raucous welcome as he replaced Augusto Fernandez, and he certainly did not disappoint.

Leo Messi coming on. Sometimes it's felt like this whole tournament has been set up for him.

— Rik Sharma (@riksharma_) June 11, 2016

After the laments of Santa Clara on Monday having missed out on his talents, Messi was eager to make up for lost time. But he also played an intelligent game, bearing in mind recent inactivity. The No. 10 eschewed his usual position on the right-hand side, boring in and dancing over opponents, in favour of a role that more closely resembled the classic enganche of Juan Roman Riquelme. 

The wizard took up the role of quarterback in the Argentina team and immediately started moving the ball around while the close proximity of team-mates discouraged any opponents from over-enthusiastic tackling. The team was transformed and the results seen almost immediately. 

The Albiceleste received a great deal of fortune in their second goal. Roderick Miller's rushed clearance struck Higuain square in the face, and while the Napoli striker waited for the cartoon birds to subside, Messi had already stroked the rebound past Jaime Penedo to score his first.

But there was nothing fortuitous about his second: a sumptuous free-kick that gave Penedo no chance and shook Chicago like a Michael Jordan dunk. 

In the space of just 10 minutes, Leo had put Argentina clear and dry, and what followed was merely the icing on the cake. This time receiving in the area, he showed incredible close control to elude the desperate Panama defence and squeezed his shot through the slightest of openings to mark what was, even for him, an extraordinary hat-trick.

Then dropping back to the quarterback position, he split what was now a ragged Canalero outfit apart with a looping ball that found Marcos Rojo.

The Manchester United defender did just enough to divert the ball into the path of Sergio Aguero, who powered his header past the Panama goalkeeper. 5-0 to Argentina, and what had been a scrappy, tense affair ended as no more than a procession. 

"Messi is a monster, before he came on there was no difference between the teams," Panama's Colombian coach Hernan Gomez said in the post-match press conference. While that interpretation is understandably kind on his own men, it contains a large dose of truth. Martino, indeed, mirrored his adversary's words: "The game was a different one until Messi's entrance. Leo came in and solved everything."

Argentina without Messi were far too pedestrian, relying on errors and picking off scraps to make the breakthrough. It took just half an hour to remember what we had been missing for the opening of this Copa America: and if La Pulga continues this tournament at even half the pace he has begun it, Albiceleste fans have every right to be confident. 

The world waited for Lionel Messi to make his Copa America debut, and when he did, it was magic. 

After recovering from injury, the Argentina magician came on as a substitute in the 61st minute and promptly delivered a hat-trick by the 87th. 

Because it's what Lionel Messi does. 

His first goal came seven minutes in. 

Ten minutes later, he scored an absolutely sensational free-kick. 

Messi magic pic.twitter.com/E9DgV56MN5

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 11, 2016

For good measure, he made his hat-trick. 

⚽️ #URGENTE 🇺🇸 #CopaAmerica GOOOOOOOOOOOOOLAZO de #ARGENTINA !!!!!!! MESSI !!!! 42m 2T 🇦🇷 4 - 🇵🇦 0 🎥 pic.twitter.com/q93WcamdYX

— INFOMEDIA 🇦🇷 (@Infomedia24hrs) June 11, 2016

If he keeps up at this rate, we imagine the new bearded look will stay.  

Two goals in 10 minutes: All hail bearded Lionel Messi. 🐐#CopaAmerica pic.twitter.com/n8nf4ysBZs

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 11, 2016

[Twitter]

As Lionel Messi continues his recovery from a back injury, the whole of Argentina waits to see how their captain and talisman's health is progressing. But regardless of La Pulga's physical state on Friday, the Albiceleste would be best served leaving him on the bench against Panama. 

It is always a rather incongruous sight to see Messi out of the action. When on the pitch, the Barcelona man craves contact with the ball, dropping deep and drifting continually from his post on the right to link up with his colleagues. 

Just like Diego Maradona in his heyday 30 years ago, his compact figure only looks complete when it is accompanied by the gleaming white sphere tethered effortlessly to his left boot, as he weaves in and out of puzzled markers with the glee of a schoolboy tormenting his peers. But the captain was forced to observe on Monday, as Argentina spluttered before finally moving up the gears to take down Chile. 

It has been a tough tournament so far for the biggest names of South American football. Neymar, of course, is not part of the Brazil squad, although he has been caught on camera more than once revelling in his status as the Selecao's No. 1 fan stateside. Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez has also yet to make an appearance in the U.S. as the Uruguay hitman recovers from his own injury problems. 

James Rodriguez, meanwhile, sparked fears when he was taken off in pain during Colombia's 2-0 opening-day win over the hosts, as MLS Soccer reported.

That proved to be a false alarm; the Real Madrid playmaker linked up brilliantly with Edwin Cardona to take down Paraguay on Tuesday, and his Exocet left-footed finish to mark the Cafeteros' second of the evening betrayed the tension before kick-off as his presence remained a mystery.

Messi, for his part, looked relaxed in Santa Clara, California, perhaps unsurprisingly after a nightmare 10 days. After picking up the painful knock in Honduras, the No. 10 was given precious little time to rest as he flew back to Spain on prosecutors' orders before enduring another gruelling transatlantic flight.

His progress has been slow since that match, but on the evidence of the 2-1 win over Chile, his team-mates should be able to see off the challenge of Panama without his unique talents. 

The Albiceleste orchestra took time to find its pitch without the maestro conducting. Early on, there were more than a few short circuits as Angel Di Maria struggled to moderate his movements and Gonzalo Higuain cut a frustrated figure in the area, barely more involved in proceedings than Messi himself. 

After half-time, however, the side made the necessary changes. Having been drawn far too deep in order to check Chile's dangerous counters, Ever Banega moved up the field to link up directly with Di Maria and Gaitan and take on La Pulga's creative mantle. Banega carried out the role with some success, and he even bagged a rare goal to likely cement his place in the starting lineup for the rest of the Copa. 

Di Maria, meanwhile, started to resist his natural inclination to charge to the byline and see what happens next. As so often with the Paris Saint-Germain star, that self-control proved the difference between a mediocre performance and a delightful one, aptly summed up respectively in each half.

The winger netted one and assisted Banega for the other, similarly demonstrating he was ready and willing to take on more team responsibilities without Messi. 

More than revenge over Chile for that final defeat nearly 12 months ago, the win was a shot of confidence for the nation. The captain is indispensable to the Albiceleste's plans, of course, but after his last injury was the forerunner for a disastrous start to the team's World Cup qualifying campaign, any sign Argentina do not rely on the record-breaker is good news indeed.

"The expectation is that in four days Messi is in a position to play," coach Gerardo Martino said after that game in a press conference. But those assurances were quickly countered the following day, when both Messi and Lucas Biglia, as reported by Stefan Coerts of Goal, trained apart from the rest of the side because of their respective injuries. 

Now the Canaleros loom, an encounter that holds far fewer concerns for the Albiceleste than that opener against the reigning Copa champions. Panama fought hard to beat Bolivia and could well have won by a more comfortable margin than the 2-1 result suggests. 

They are a fast, physical side that will look to attack Argentina out wide, in a similar fashion to Chile as Alexis Sanchez drifted out to the right in order to punch holes in the defence. In the evergreen Blas Perez, moreover, they have a striker who is no stranger to top-level South American competition and who has started the Copa in cracking form. 

On paper, though, there should only be one winner on Friday, Messi or no Messi. The calls from Chicago's Soldier Field will almost certainly urge Martino to put on his recovering captain, as an impatient Santa Clara audience exhorted on Monday, but there is no reason to rush him back into action.

Argentina's inspiration and the best player in the world will be needed later in this Copa America, and the Albiceleste should make full use of this rest to ensure he explodes into the tournament when it reaches its decisive stages.

Follow Daniel on Twitter

With Lionel Messi continuing to rest due to a back injury suffered last month his Argentinian teammates won their Copa America opener 2-1 over Chile on Monday. Argentina should face even less resistance Friday from Panama as big -575 betting favorites (wager $575 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

Match Odds: Argentina -575, Panama +1,600, Draw +550

Messi's status for Friday is still uncertain, since there is really no reason to rush him back to play big minutes against Panama in qualifying action and risk making his injury worse. However, Argentina manager Gerardo Martino previously stated the star would be available for this match.

Against Chile, the Argentinians took a 2-0 lead early in the second half after goals from Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega, the last of which proved to be the game-winner with Chile scoring in stoppage time.

Panama also earned a 2-1 victory on Monday, beating Bolivia. The Panamanians got two goals from Blas Perez to win their first-ever Copa America match. Perez gave Panama an early 1-0 lead in the 11th minute and then answered Bolivia’s equalizer in the 54th minute with his second only three minutes from the end.

However, this matchup with the tournament betting favorite will be a huge step up in competition for Panama. The pressure on the Panamanians to follow up that initial win will be enormous versus arguably the best team in the entire field, with a major letdown the likely outcome.

The Argentinians will not be experiencing anywhere near the same feelings heading into this game after already knocking off the squad that beat them in last year’s final.

Expect Argentina to get off to a strong start, tallying a goal in the first half to test Panama’s mettle. From there, a second score could be all that’s needed to put this one away. A goal by Panama would be surprising but not shocking, with under three the more probable result.

Argentina vs. Panama Prediction: 2-0 Argentina

All betting lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. Check out the latest Copa America news. 

No Lionel Messi, no problem? Hardly. But tenacious Argentina at least proved that when Leo cannot weave his magic, they still have the ability to grind out big results. 

The Albiceleste rode their luck early on Monday night, but, ultimately, a 2-1 win was more than deserved as they took some measure of revenge over Chile for the Copa America final defeat just under a year ago. In the absence of their captain and talisman, the likes of Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega stood up to be counted.

Messi's will-he, won't-he saga dominated headlines in the hours leading up to this Group D opener. The Barcelona star had suffered a back injury in the Albiceleste's sole friendly against Honduras last week, limping off the field as an entire nation held its breath. 

It is impossible to gauge how much the captain's subsequent trip to Spain to answer tax fraud charges, per AP (via Sky Sports) may have held back his recovery. Perhaps, with four or five days of uninterrupted recovery in the United States alongside his team-mates, he would have made the cut. 

But at this point that is pure conjecture. Coach Gerardo Martino made the decision to leave La Pulga on the bench for the first, and most daunting, fixture Argentina will face until the knockout phase.

And thanks to a sturdy team performance, the twin objectives of taking three points and ensuring Messi would not be risked were both fulfilled. 

Without their star, an unfamiliar Albiceleste were on show. Martino puts great stock in reproducing the possession-based football most closely associated with Barcelona, but Santa Clara saw a side more reminiscent of Real Madrid take on Juan Antonio Pizzi's South American champions.

The three central midfielders stayed in close proximity to one another throughout the first half, rarely pushing forward. Gonzalo Higuain took on Karim Benzema's role of the No. 9 charged with drawing out the defence and Di Maria did his best to impersonate Cristiano Ronaldo, with mixed results.

The Argentinians played a high-octane game and tried to exploit the expanses of the Levi's Stadium, but the plan fell short amid poor execution and against a Chilean side determined not to give an inch to their fierce rivals. 

Indeed, La Roja went closest to opening the scoring in the first half. Manchester United's Sergio Romero proved why he has been so difficult to dislodge from the net despite a chronic lack of club football with a spectacular stop from Alexis Sanchez, which was the highlight of an almost-flawless performance from the goalkeeper. In the second half, though, Argentina finally found their flow. 

Both teams had benefited in the opening 45 minutes from slack distribution coming out of defence. But it was Di Maria who finally made the breakthrough, as the Paris Saint-German star expertly finished off Banega's pass to put Argentina in the ascendancy.

It was an emotional match for Di Maria, who learned of his grandmother's death just hours before kick-off, and his tears as he was interviewed at the final whistle added a poignant note to proceedings in California. 

Di María can barely speak through the tears in his post-match interview - dedicated his goal to his grandmother who just died

— GOLAZO (@golazoargentino) June 7, 2016

The game was put beyond a tepid Chile's reach a matter of minutes later. After Banega's precise assist to his fellow Rosario native, Di Maria returned the favour, and the Sevilla man's venomous effort took a touch off Mauricio Isla to bamboozle Claudio Bravo on its way to goal.

From there it was more or less straightforward for the Albiceleste, although Romero's sole error of the match in charging off his line let Jose Fuenzalida in to narrow the scoreline to 2-1 in the dying minutes. 

By the sound of things in the Levi's Stadium many of the neutrals in the stands had come with the express objective of watching Messi strut his stuff. Chants for the Barcelona star grew as the minutes ticked by, but Martino remained obstinate—and rightly so.

The coach's worst nightmare would have been to throw the half-fit superstar on at the end to chase an adverse result, but thanks to a professional team performance Messi and his budding beard remained safely ensconced on the bench. 

"We always pick 23 men, and we always hope they can all meet our expectations," Martino told reporters in the post-match conference with regards to the absences of Messi and fellow starter Lucas Biglia. The likes of Nicolas Gaitan and Augusto Fernandez may not have shined particularly brightly as late replacements, but they did what was necessary to make sure those stars were not missed too much. 

But the real stars of the show were tearful Di Maria and his partner in crime Banega, who, in the absence of Messi, provided the cutting edge Argentina desperately needed.

Three points are in the bag, and as their superstar continues to recover, the Albiceleste can already start thinking about the quarter-finals and beyond.

Follow Daniel on Twitter at @DanEdwardsGoal

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Time is running out for Lionel Messi. Although the Barcelona and Argentina star is just 28, the Copa America Centenario represents the last great chance he has to win a trophy with his country.

Messi was just six years old the last time Argentina won a major tournament, as Gabriel Batistuta fired his country to a 2-1 win over Mexico in the 1993 Copa America final.

Watching on in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, 23 years ago, Messi was just a student of the beautiful game. Now he is its greatest exponent.

Despite being the greatest football player of all time, though, his detractors still snarl that his lack of success on the international stage means he is not deserving of that accolade.

While failure to win a World Cup or Copa America should not taint his personal legend, the frequency with which that argument is spouted wears and tears at him. The pressure he feels playing for his country is clear.

Usually a calm, reserved character, when questioned about it, Messi's behaviour changes. It is one of the rare occasions where you can catch a glimpse of the stitches that keep the maestro together, whereas usually he's moving too fast towards new records, new accomplishments and new feats of magic on the pitch to notice anything but a whirlwind.

In December 2015, TyC Sports asked Messi about the criticism he and Argentina have received in recent years, despite making it to the World Cup and Copa America finals in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

The Albiceleste lost on both occasions, 1-0 against Germany in Rio de Janeiro after extra time and on penalties against hosts Chile at last year's Copa final in Santiago.

Messi was angry at the lack of respect he and his team-mates have been offered by his countrymen, and he hit out (h/t the Mirror):

It was bad. We got to the final of the World Cup and the Copa America and it was as if we didn't do anything.

We are still hearing these criticisms, people killing us. Piss off, we got to the World Cup final and the Copa. We didn't win them but we didn't lose in the quarter finals.

Sometimes you don't know if that would be better or worse!

I hear them say that we don't care about the shirt, that we don't put our all into it. It's not about not giving your all.

We're the first ones that want to win and celebrate.

Messi turns 31 in June 2018, during the World Cup in Russia. While there are few doubts he will still be a wonderful player at that point, likely still the best in the world given the intelligence and poise he shows in his game, that will be a far more complicated tournament for Argentina to win than this.

Coach Gerardo Martino picked a strong squad for the Copa America Centenario, showing he too feels this is a good opportunity for his country to end their international drought.

And in a quirk of fate, their opening group game is a repeat of last year's final and a perfect chance for Argentina to gain a revenge of sorts.

Messi would doubtless love to play, but the buildup to the game has been dominated by negative news stories about him.

First, that is due to his injury, picked up against Honduras in a warm-up friendly when he took a knee in the lumbar area of his back. It has made him a doubt for the clash at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Martino said in his press conference before the game that Messi would play if both the doctor and the player think he is fit and capable of doing so.

"If the player feels well, he will play," said the coach. "You have to listen to Messi; he's not just any footballer. And the doctor too, for the risk there may be. Mine is just another opinion, but I will have the final say."

Some believe that even if Messi is wounded, he should be on the field—that's the impact he has. That's a tactic previously used with Batistuta, whom the Barca star is closing in on as his country's top goalscorer.

The former striker has 56, while Messi has 50. If fitness allows, he could even catch the Argentinian great by the end of this tournament.

Everton's Ramiro Funes Mori is one of those who would start Messi under any circumstance. He said in a press conference before the game, per ESPN FC:

If I was the coach I would put in Messi even if he could not run or was on one leg.

He is such an important player and you need to know how to manage him. He is the best in the world, and I would always pick him. With Lionel things are different. We know how important he is on the pitch -- he can dribble past three or four players, break their marking. We all know how he is.

The likelihood is that Messi will not play if injured, because it would be foolish to risk his participation in the rest of the tournament just for a good start against Chile, however inviting the clash may be.

With games against Bolivia and Panama to follow, Argentina are surely set to make it out of the group, regardless of what happens in Santa Clara on Monday night.

The other negative buzz has come from his tax fraud trial. Spanish government prosecutor Mario Maza slammed Messi in court, with ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan reporting him as saying: "Even 10-year-old children understand [you have to pay your taxes] and Messi would have to be able to understand that without any problem. In no way am I comparing this kid to a mafioso, but this is the same as a 'capo' of a criminal network."

Messi had to fly to the United States to face Honduras in that friendly before flying back to Barcelona for the trial and then back to America to link up with his national side, all while nursing his back injury.

This brings both his mental and physical state into question before the game, and it may be for the best that he sits it out and returns invigorated for the rest of the competition.

Whether Argentina face Chile with or without Messi, the expectations will be that they win. With Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria, the Albiceleste boast an attacking force that makes every other side in the tournament jealous.

Beating Chile would give them a great chance to top the group and avoid the strongest Group C opponent in the quarter-finals.

Nicolas Gaitan is likely to replace Messi in the starting lineup, and Martino did not want to put pressure on the Benfica playmaker's shoulders.

The coach said: "I don't expect Gaitan to play like Leo does, but to play like Nico does. I want him to be himself more than ever. He sprints really fast, he dribbles very well, he's a complete player. He would replace Leo in name only."

Chile are still finding their feet under new coach Juan Antonio Pizzi, and this is a fine opportunity for Argentina to strike an early blow in Group D and announce themselves as the favourites to the rest of the tournament.

A real positive for Argentina coming into the tournament is the form of Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain.

The forward scored 36 goals in Serie A this season and is set to lead the line for his country. He also scored a wonderful goal in the 1-0 win over Honduras.

But there is a shadow over Higuain when it comes to Argentina. Some pin the blame for Messi's lack of international success on this man.

He missed a fine chance against Germany in the World Cup final and then another in the Copa final after the Argentina No. 10 had put in Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Then to cap it all, Higuain was the first player to miss from the penalty spot in the shootout, blazing his effort into the Santiago night sky.

Two finals, three massive failures on Higuain's part. This year surely things will be different, given how lethal he has been for his club. Third time lucky?

Argentina certainly hope so, and Messi's legend may depend on it, however wrong that may seem.

Quotes taken firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Chile escaped with a victory on penalties over Argentina in the final of the 2015 Copa America, but sit as +255 underdogs ahead of their rematch at Levi's Stadium on Monday night. Winners in their past four matches, Argentina takes the pitch for their Group D matchup as strong +115 favorites on the Copa America Centenario betting lines at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

Match Odds: Argentina +115, Chile +255, Draw +220

Chile begins the defense of their Copa America title with a rematch of last year's final, taking on the top team on the FIFA World Rankings, Argentina.

La Roja have endured a difficult stretch since their championship, tallying just one win over their past six games, but have maintained their position in third on the South American rankings. The side suffered losses in a pair of pre-tournament outings, dropping a 1-0 decision to Mexico last week after going down 2-1 to tournament long shot Jamaica.

The club also came up short in recent 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matchups with Argentina and Uruguay, dropping them to fourth place on the Qualifying Tournament table.

Aside from a 4-1 blowout win over Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier earlier this year, goals have been hard to come by for Chile, which has otherwise failed to score more than once in a contest during their current slide.

Chile was unable to protect an early 1-0 lead in a 2-1 loss to Argentina on home turf back in March, extending their historic struggles against La Albiceleste. That stretch has seen them claim just one victory in 90 minutes over their rivals in 14 meetings since 1930.

Argentina will be looking to extend their recent strong play in Monday night's contest, riding a four-game winning streak that has lifted their record to 5-3-1 since their loss in last year's Copa America final.

The club earned a 1-0 win over Honduras on May 28 in their only pre-tournament clash. However, the victory came at considerable cost as Lionel Messi left the game after suffering a back injury and he remains questionable for Argentina's date with Chile, according to the team's official Twitter account (via RotoWire.com).

The Argentine team captain and five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored 26 times for Barcelona in La Liga action this past season, but has been plagued by injuries throughout the campaign. Messi missed 15 of Barca's dates and has found the back of the net just five times in his past 14 games, but he set up eight markers over his past six appearances.

Argentina vs. Chile Prediction: Argentina 2-0

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