Tears of frustration welled up in the eyes of several Argentine stars after their 1-1 draw with Sweden bounced the highly fancied South Americans out of the World Cup on Wednesday.
Talismanic striker Gabriel Batistuta held his head in his hands and was gently steered away by two team mates after an exit which for him was particularly embarrassing – he was substituted early in the second half for Hernan Crespo.
Ironically, ‘Batigol’ – his country’s record scorer with 56 goals – had been responsible for the only highlight of his country’s campaign, the winning goal against Nigeria.
But aside from that rather low-key opener it was a classic case of ‘don’t believe the hype’ thereafter as the South Americans, who had been elevated to pre-tournament favourites after strolling through their mammoth qualifying campaign, went home with a whimper.
The performance against the Swedes was probably the best, with a host of chances created and then squandered – but the damage had been done with a 1-0 loss to England in Sapporo.
That punctured Argentine self-confidence and with Sweden and England gaining in confidence all the time their rivals were able to carry on with the party.
Hopes of a third world title after 1978 and 1986 evaporated with Anders Svensson’s freekick which gave the Swedes the lead and although Hernan Crespo was on target at the end it was not enough to save an Argentina side who will surely now look to replace coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Bielsa’s job was hanging by a thread afterwards – given that 1998 finals predecessor Daniel Passarella at least led the team to an unlucky quarter-final loss to Holland.
Bielsa doesn’t have the same credit and affection that Passarella had already earned in skippering his country to glory in 1978.
But if he fails to survive it will be a cruel fate as Argentine daily Clarin correctly observed that the side gave everything.
‘Argentina are out – but left everything out there on the pitch,’ the paper’s website opined.
The ‘Group of Death’ was always going to be the toughest one to emerge from unscathed – but South American and African trickery proved an inferior recipe to northern European grit and spirit.
Juan Sebastian Veron cut one of the most forlorn figures of all at the end, having only managed a quarter of the Swedish match on the pitch after Bielsa dropped la brujita (little witch).
His sorcery had been sadly lacking against England and against the Swedes the likes of Claudio Lopez, Pablo Aimar and Ariel Ortega could hardly be accused of failing to conjure enough chances.
But aside from Crespo’s rebound from Ortega’s missed penalty, they missed the lot.
Bielsa was still conspicious by his absence from the broadcast media scrum afterwards – Passarella likewise made a swift exit after the defeat by the Dutch in Marseille – and it looked as if he might share the latter’s fate in becoming Argentina’s newest ex-coach. – Sapa-AFP