COMMENT: The Barcelona forward has been in fine form at the Copa America, but is still lacking help from his team-mates as the Albiceleste struggle to score goals at Chile 2015

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= ArgentinaARG £14 Draw £43.3 ParaguayPRY £85
By Ben Haywayd in Concepcion

Lionel Messi could not believe his luck. Colombia's David Ospina's outrageous save denied the Argentine attacker from a close-range header on Friday and four full games into the Copa America, the Barcelona forward has only one goal to his name - a penalty against Paraguay in his opening match.

"It's unbelievable the trouble I'm having in scoring with the national team," the 28-year-old lamented after his side overcame Colombia on penalties in the quarter-finals. But it is not just Messi. Despite their fine football, Argentina have netted only four goals in as many games at Chile 2015 - and that is putting even greater pressure on their captain in this tournament.

Since scoring twice in the first half against Paraguay, the Albiceleste have added just two more goals in 324 minutes of football. Sergio Aguero's header was enough to see Gerardo Martino's men beat Uruguay 1-0, while Gonzalo Higuain's goal edged out Jamaica by the same scoreline and Argentina needed penalties to defeat Colombia following a goalless game against Jose Pekerman's side in the last eight.

"It is clear we have a problem with our finishing," Martino said at the pre-match press conference on Monday ahead of his side's semi-final against Paraguay. "There is a red mark against our finish¡ng and it is something we have to improve on. But I agree with Javier (Mascherano) that it is more of a coincidence than anything else."

Perhaps. But the problem is more than just the finishing. The return of Lazio's Lucas Biglia in midfield for Argentina's second game, against Uruguay, gave Martino's men better balance defensively than with Ever Banega there, but it has also restricted the Albiceleste attack.



"Biglia gives us more balance in midfield," Tata said ahead of the 2-2 draw against Paraguay on June 13. "But Banega gives us more play." With the Lazio midfielder short of full fitness, the Sevilla man started that game and Argentina played probably their best and worst football of the competition in a classic game of two halves in La Serena.

With Biglia back, they look more solid. Goals, however, have been hard to come by with him on the pitch. For all Tata's talk about the importance of style, he has two defensive-minded midfielders in the team in Biglia and Javier Mascherano, while the third (Javier Pastore) is often too far from the opposition area and has been unable to link up effectively with the forwards on the edge of the box.

That has left striker Sergio Aguero isolated, while Angel Di Maria is still struggling to find form for his country in this tournament.

"Before the friendly against Germany last year, I said Di Maria was one of the five best footballers in the world," Martino said on Monday when asked about Angel. "And I maintain that." In truth, however, the Manchester United winger is nowhere near his best.

Di Maria thrives when attacking spaces at speed, but Argentina have faced four defensive rivals so far in this Copa and only against Jamaica did the former Real Madrid winger really impress.

Up against rivals squeezing spaces, Martino is keen for his full-backs to push forward and help the attack. That, however, is another problem because Marcos Rojo is a converted centre-back who offers very little offensively and Pablo Zabaleta lacks the pace to really threaten down the right - although he did set up Aguero's goal against Uruguay with an excellent cross.