RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Forwards Lionel Messi and
Carlos Tevez were the hero and villain respectively during
Argentina's 2-1 loss to Colombia in Tuesday night's World Cup
qualifier in Bogota.
Messi slipped past three Colombia defenders to put Argentina ahead
before halftime but Manchester United forward Tevez was sent off
after 25 minutes and Colombia rallied in the second half to win the
high-altitude match.
'They are the two young symbols of the national team,' said the
Buenos Aires daily El Clarin. 'Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez both
had key roles in the night of the defeat. One made us laugh. The
other made us cry.
'Messi, once more, was Argentina's high point and scored a
Maradona-inspired goal. Tevez, going the other direction, was
irresponsible.'
Tevez was dismissed for petulantly kicking Colombia full back Ruben
Dario Bustos in an off-the-ball incident.
His team seemed less than impressed and he was ignored by coach
Alfio Basile and the bench as he trudged back to the
dressing-room.
With Hernan Crespo and Sergio Aguero also breathing down his neck,
Tevez's temper could have cost him his place in the side.
Tevez, who has completed 10 matches without scoring since his goal
in the Copa America match against United States in June, will
automatically miss Argentina's next qualifier, at home to Ecuador
in June.
If he gets a two-match suspension, he will be ruled out of the
visit to Brazil the same month.
'Carlos is suffering a goal drought and doesn't appear comfortable
with this system,' said Clarin.
Tevez's dismissal didn't seem to matter as 12 minutes later, Messi
stunned El Campin stadium with his eighth goal in 26
internationals.
The player known as The Flea nearly added a second five minutes
after halftime, but his shot went narrowly wide and Colombia took
full advantage.
Basile accepted the defeat which ended Argentina's 100 percent
record in the tournament.
'We played a very good first half,' he said. 'But the only place
where you can't afford to be left with 10 players is at altitude.
We felt it in the second half.
'With 10 men, we played the way I like, playing the ball around,
with triangulations. But we felt the difference of being a man
short.'