Scaloni, with air to spare to continue building

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe out. Open your mouth like desperate fish out of water. It is not a yoga class or National Geographic. It is a World Cup qualifying match for points against Bolivia in La Paz. Argentina passes the test, closes the first double date with a perfect score and there is little more to reflect on after a match played on an absurd court at an absurd height for high competition.

The more than 3,600 meters above sea level precarious the level of the game and conditions the analysis. The duel becomes crude, crude, unnatural. It forces one to dose efforts and limit ambitions; to think the strategy from oxygen.

Scaloni’s numbers as coach of the National Team

The inequity due to a geographical factor makes the commitment to continue competing in a venue where lung capacity is more important than the level of the teams absurd. In no other scenario would this Argentine National Team suffer against this poor Bolivian team that has not played a World Cup since 1994.

Messi: “What’s wrong with you, pelado?”

At times, it seems as if the court is full of pits and mud. It is literally difficult to walk. Controlling the ball takes one or two times longer than normal. Long passes are a temptation to gain meters without mortgaging oxygen but they carry the risk of raffling tenure. Even Paredes, one of the most calibrated feet of the National Team, seems imprecise in corners or changes of front.

Ex-Boca, today at PSG, was one of the most useful resources for the Argentine team’s attack. In the first stage he tried three times and in the last – courtesy of Messi- he blew the stick.

The goals and the best plays of Argentina’s 2-1

Dispelling numbers, names and tactical schemes of this party projecting the future does not make much sense. The qualities to be highlighted after a laborious victory like today’s will be linked to survival: Lautaro’s power to invent 1-1 and assist in 1-2; Messi’s hierarchy and intelligence to absorb rival jerseys and look for the right pass during the 97 minutes without intermittences; the temple of Palacios to set the pace, not rushing and almost always giving it to a teammate and, why not, Correa’s opportunism to take advantage of his minutes with a goal.

Bolivia’s goal should be a warning that the releasing relays still need to be adjusted. Martínez Quarta, one of the best against Ecuador at La Bombonera, will surely return for Firenze chewing some anger for having lost his back with Martins in the 1-0.

Why is the Argentine victory in La Paz historic?

From the statistical point of view, the result is extremely important to continue building on solid trust bases. The National Team had not won there for 15 years. With 6 points, at the top of the table, the one who now has air to spare to continue building is Lionel Scaloni.