Argentine Olympic soccer coach ready for Iraq duty
It was sweet revenge for Argentina.
Last year, the Argentine national squad was humiliated 3-0 by Brazil in the Copa America final in Maracaibo.
On Tuesday, Argentina, reigning Olympic champions, turned the tables. The Argentines dispatched their biggest rival 3-0 in an Olympic semifinal match to move into the finals against powerful Nigeria. This will be a rematch of the 1996 finals in Atlanta, won by Nigeria, 3-2.
Afterward, two superstars and Barcelona ex-teammates — Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Ronaldinho (now with AC Milan) — embraced on the pitch.
The euphoric Argentina coach, Sergio Batista, declared:
"With these 18 players, I'll go fight in Iraq.''
Here are some local links:
Olé (Argentina); Clarin, Argentina; Lance, Brazil.
-- Andres D'Alessandro in Buenos Aires and Patrick J. McDonnell in Sucre, Bolivia.
Photo: Argentina's Lionel Messi, left, and Brazil's Ronaldinho shake hands Tuesday during their men's semifinal soccer match at Beijing 2008. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno.)
