Argentina set up a mouth-watering Copa America semi-final against hosts Brazil as goals from Lautaro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso secured a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Venezuela on Friday.

Martinez gave Argentina a 10th minute lead with a clever back-flick between his legs and substitute Lo Celso secured the victory 16 minutes from time, pouncing on a mistake by Venezuela's goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.

It was another improved performance from Lionel Scaloni's team who have grown into this tournament since beginning with a 2-0 defeat to Colombia and a 1-1 draw with Paraguay.

They are bidding to end a 26-year wait for a major international trophy. 
"We're Argentina and when there are knock-out matches, it makes us strong," said Sergio Aguero, who had a hand in both goals.

"It won't be easy in any way (against Brazil) but we're Argentina and we'll try to do justice to the jersey."

Fast start&nbsp;

Argentina started like a team determined to claim the prize at stake: a semi-final against their great rivals Brazil.

Martinez played in Aguero in the inside right channel after just three minutes but the Manchester City forward's low cross-shot was blocked by goalkeeper Farinez's foot.

Argentina should have gone in front when German Pezzella ran unmarked onto a flick-on at the back post but he seemed surprised and couldn't react in time with the goal gaping.

There was constant pressure on the Venezuelan backline as Argentina won a succession of corners.

They had 80 per cent of possession in the first 10 minutes and sure enough, Venezuela cracked.

Aguero's angled shot was heading well off target as it skidded into a crowd of players, but Martinez instinctively flicked it between his legs, nutmegging an unsighted Farinez.

It was the least Argentina deserved after such a furious start but gradually Venezuela started to settle and get a foothold in the match.

"We struggled to get a foothold in the match and by the time we got going, we were already behind and facing an uphill battle," complained Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel.

"Undoubtedly when looking back (on the tournament) we'll have a lot more positives than negatives," he added.

Chances were few and far between but Pezzella got up well to meet a Lionel Messi free-kick, only to head well over the top.

Defenders were proving the most dangerous players on the pitch and Jhon Chancellor rose highest to head over from a corner at the other end.

In first-half injury time, Martinez almost had a second put on a plate for him by Marcus Acuna, but Roberto Rosales whisked it off his toe at the back post, four yards from goal as Argentina finished the half with another burst of attacking intent.

Farinez blunder&nbsp;

Argentina made another fast start to the second half with Farinez having to punch away a wicked inswinging free-kick from Leandro Paredes, whose slide-rule pass then sent Martinez scampering into the box only to lash his shot against the outside of the post.

Aguero bundled through a number of flimsy challenges but overran the ball and Farinez gathered.

In Darwin Machis, Venezuela had a left winger with the beating of his marker Juan Foyth but the 'Vinotinto' ('Red wine') were unable to get him into the game.

And when they did, Foyth twice got away with robust challenges on the speedy forward inside the box.

The chance Venezuela had been waiting for came on 71 minutes when Tomas Rincon picked out Ronald Hernandez eight yards from goal at an angle, but he rushed his pushed volley and goalkeeper Franco Armani made a smart save.

The game was up three minutes later when Farinez spilled a shot from Aguero that was straight at him, presenting Lo Celso, who had cleverly followed the action from midfield, with a simple tap-in just six minutes after entering the fray.

Even as Venezuela pushed desperately looking for something, Argentina came closer to scoring again a couple of times through substitute Angel Di Maria, earning his 100th cap. 
&nbsp;

Argentina set up a mouth-watering Copa America semi-final against hosts Brazil as goals from Lautaro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso secured a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Venezuela on Friday.

Argentina set up a mouth-watering Copa America semi-final against hosts Brazil as goals from Lautaro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso secured a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Venezuela on Friday. Martinez gave Argentina a 10th minute lead with a clever back-flick between his legs and substitute Lo Celso secured the victory 16 minutes from time, pouncing on a mistake by Venezuela's goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium. It was another improved performance from Lionel Scaloni's team who have grown into this tournament since beginning with a 2-0 defeat to Colombia and a 1-1 draw with Paraguay. They are bidding to end a 26-year wait for a major international trophy. "We're Argentina and when there are knock-out matches, it makes us strong," said Sergio Aguero, who had a hand in both goals. "It won't be easy in any way (against Brazil) but we're Argentina and we'll try to do justice to the jersey." Fast start Argentina started like a team determined to claim the prize at stake: a semi-final against their great rivals Brazil. Martinez played in Aguero in the inside right channel after just three minutes but the Manchester City forward's low cross-shot was blocked by goalkeeper Farinez's foot. Argentina should have gone in front when German Pezzella ran unmarked onto a flick-on at the back post but he seemed surprised and couldn't react in time with the goal gaping. There was constant pressure on the Venezuelan backline as Argentina won a succession of corners. They had 80 per cent of possession in the first 10 minutes and sure enough, Venezuela cracked. Aguero's angled shot was heading well off target as it skidded into a crowd of players, but Martinez instinctively flicked it between his legs, nutmegging an unsighted Farinez. It was the least Argentina deserved after such a furious start but gradually Venezuela started to settle and get a foothold in the match. "We struggled to get a foothold in the match and by the time we got going, we were already behind and facing an uphill battle," complained Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel. "Undoubtedly when looking back (on the tournament) we'll have a lot more positives than negatives," he added. Chances were few and far between but Pezzella got up well to meet a Lionel Messi free-kick, only to head well over the top. Defenders were proving the most dangerous players on the pitch and Jhon Chancellor rose highest to head over from a corner at the other end. In first-half injury time, Martinez almost had a second put on a plate for him by Marcus Acuna, but Roberto Rosales whisked it off his toe at the back post, four yards from goal as Argentina finished the half with another burst of attacking intent. Farinez blunder Argentina made another fast start to the second half with Farinez having to punch away a wicked inswinging free-kick from Leandro Paredes, whose slide-rule pass then sent Martinez scampering into the box only to lash his shot against the outside of the post. Aguero bundled through a number of flimsy challenges but overran the ball and Farinez gathered. In Darwin Machis, Venezuela had a left winger with the beating of his marker Juan Foyth but the 'Vinotinto' ('Red wine') were unable to get him into the game. And when they did, Foyth twice got away with robust challenges on the speedy forward inside the box. The chance Venezuela had been waiting for came on 71 minutes when Tomas Rincon picked out Ronald Hernandez eight yards from goal at an angle, but he rushed his pushed volley and goalkeeper Franco Armani made a smart save. The game was up three minutes later when Farinez spilled a shot from Aguero that was straight at him, presenting Lo Celso, who had cleverly followed the action from midfield, with a simple tap-in just six minutes after entering the fray. Even as Venezuela pushed desperately looking for something, Argentina came closer to scoring again a couple of times through substitute Angel Di Maria, earning his 100th cap.

Martinez, Lo Celso goals earn Argentina Copa semi against Brazil

Brazil coach Tite joined the chorus of players and officials complaining about the Copa America pitches, saying it was "absurd" to play on surfaces like the one on which the hosts beat Paraguay on Thursday.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-brazil-reach-semi-final-with-shootout-win-over-paraguay-231055&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjwq427y4vjAhUHiHAKHVHJBJ4QFjAAegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1otE8Lgeq-gzAgJlPAcYM9">Brazil </a>won the quarter-final 4-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 0-0 after 90 minutes.

Tite said the level of play at the Gremio arena was negatively impacted by the uneven surface.

"It's absurd that at this high level we are playing on pitches where it is difficult to control the ball," Tite told reporters.

"Players need three touches to control it. It's absurd,"&nbsp;Tite said.

Renato Portaluppi, coach of Brazilian side Gremio, said earlier this week that 'the grass is sadly not in the best condition'.

Other players and officials had also voiced their disapproval of the playing surfaces used in the tournament.

One of the biggest critics was Lionel Messi, who suffered in the game against Qatar when a cutback onto his path hit a divot right before he took a shot for goal.

"(The ball) bumps a lot on the field. All the fields we played on were very bad. It is hard," Messi said after Qatar's clash.&nbsp;

The usually precise Barcelona forward skied the ball way over the bar and later explained, the ball 'kicks up a lot. All the pitches we've played on have been terrible. It's difficult.'

Uruguay's Luis Suarez and Colombia's James Rodriguez also dissed the uneven surfaces with the Fonte Nova in Salvador and the Maracana in Rio copping maximum criticism.

"When I (complained), I was criticised. They said I was making excuses. But you can't be playing on pitches like that," said Argentina coach <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-lionel-scaloni-expects-a-tough-start-as-argentina-prepare-to-face-colombia-227344&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjzre-Fy4vjAhVHNo8KHXlzAeQQFjACegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0vQFC0L1UwqHCvm7LEsD8x">Lionel Scaloni.</a>

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-organisers-satisfied-with-use-of-var-despite-lengthy-delays-230565&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjzre-Fy4vjAhVHNo8KHXlzAeQQFjAFegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iVDTqmigO3g_dxIAgUng0">Organisers </a>rejected the criticism.

"We see flat pitches, with an ideal covering of grass," Thiago Jannuzzi, the organising committee's competitions manager, told reporters earlier this week while discussing the tournament's progress.

"The pitches are appropriate for the tournament,"&nbsp;Jannuzzi said.

Brazil, who are seeking to win the Copa for the first time since 2007, will now hope for a better surface at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, where they will play the semi-final against either Argentina or Venezuela.

The venue bears the scars for Brazil where they suffered a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-final.

Brazil coach Tite joined the chorus of players and officials complaining about the Copa America pitches, saying it was "absurd" to play on surfaces like the one on which the hosts beat Paraguay on Thursday.

Brazil coach Tite joined the chorus of players and officials complaining about the Copa America pitches, saying it was "absurd" to play on surfaces like the one on which the hosts beat Paraguay on Thursday. Brazil won the quarter-final 4-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 0-0 after 90 minutes. Tite said the level of play at the Gremio arena was negatively impacted by the uneven surface. "It's absurd that at this high level we are playing on pitches where it is difficult to control the ball," Tite told reporters. "Players need three touches to control it. It's absurd," Tite said. Renato Portaluppi, coach of Brazilian side Gremio, said earlier this week that 'the grass is sadly not in the best condition'. Other players and officials had also voiced their disapproval of the playing surfaces used in the tournament. One of the biggest critics was Lionel Messi, who suffered in the game against Qatar when a cutback onto his path hit a divot right before he took a shot for goal. "(The ball) bumps a lot on the field. All the fields we played on were very bad. It is hard," Messi said after Qatar's clash. The usually precise Barcelona forward skied the ball way over the bar and later explained, the ball 'kicks up a lot. All the pitches we've played on have been terrible. It's difficult.' Uruguay's Luis Suarez and Colombia's James Rodriguez also dissed the uneven surfaces with the Fonte Nova in Salvador and the Maracana in Rio copping maximum criticism. "When I (complained), I was criticised. They said I was making excuses. But you can't be playing on pitches like that," said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. Organisers rejected the criticism. "We see flat pitches, with an ideal covering of grass," Thiago Jannuzzi, the organising committee's competitions manager, told reporters earlier this week while discussing the tournament's progress. "The pitches are appropriate for the tournament," Jannuzzi said. Brazil, who are seeking to win the Copa for the first time since 2007, will now hope for a better surface at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, where they will play the semi-final against either Argentina or Venezuela. The venue bears the scars for Brazil where they suffered a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-final.

Copa America: We're playing on terrible pitches, says Argentina's Lionel Messi

Brazil reached the last four of the Copa America on Thursday with a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Paraguay after their compelling quarter-final in Porto Alegre ended scoreless.

Gabriel got the winning kick for Brazil after Gustavo Gomez and Derlis Gonzalez missed for the visitors. Roberto Firmino pulled his spot-kick wide for the hosts.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-brazil-crush-peru-to-reach-last-eight-229690&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi9xP-EtovjAhVQinAKHe0uAoIQFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1rpJxdtBBQB4wYSuxv9Vqh">Brazil</a>, who have yet to concede a goal in their first four games, will next face the winner of Friday’s quarter-final between Argentina and Venezuela in Belo Horizonte next Tuesday.

Gabriel Jesus had missed a penalty against Peru in their last group game and said he went back to his tried and tested the technique on Thursday.

"In the last game I didn’t look at the keeper and I hit it hard straight away and the goalie made a good save," he added.

"Today I did it my usual way, I looked calmly at the keeper and I could see him moving to the left and I side-footed it the other way,"&nbsp;Jesus said.

After a foul strewn and unexciting first half, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/philippe-coutinho-helps-brazil-forget-neymar-in-winning-copa-america-start-227257&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi9xP-EtovjAhVQinAKHe0uAoIQFjAHegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2o7sb-lgkqIC_xEcjsN5dY">Brazil </a>took control when Fabian Balbuena was sent off in the 58th minute for fouling Firmino as he bore down on goal.

The referee gave a penalty but changed it to a free kick on the edge of the area after consulting the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-organisers-satisfied-with-use-of-var-despite-lengthy-delays-230565&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjHqee2tovjAhWJq48KHWgwD5QQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2nX7s9sw8sQFf1AVrg3Sre">video assistant referee (VAR).</a>

The sending off then saw the home side lay siege to the Paraguayan goal but without joy, Everton seeing a shot deflected over the bar, Gabriel Jesus pulling a gilt-edged chance wide, and Willian hitting the post in the last minute.

"We created lots and lots of chances, the ball hit the woodwork, the goalkeeper worked miracles, but the fans helped us and we never gave up," said midfielder Arthur.

"We know what football is like, it’s about small details, and we couldn’t win but we felt the good energies and we managed to get through on penalties," Arthur added.

Goalkeeper Alisson, who like Arthur started his career in Porto Alegre, saluted his teammates.

"This is a team that deserved the win today," Alisson said.

"It was a draw but against a team that didn’t want to play unless it was on the counter-attack. We’ve gone up one step, two more to go to our objective, to be Copa America champions," added&nbsp;Alisson.

In the other two quarter-finals, Colombia play <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-alexis-sanchez-strikes-again-to-take-chile-into-quarters-229418&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJl_uttovjAhUQ3o8KHdv-DkoQFjABegQIEhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw14HSyDrwysSqA06oXz5SVS">Chile </a>and Uruguay take on Peru.

Brazil reached the last four of the Copa America on Thursday with a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Paraguay after their compelling quarter-final in Porto Alegre ended scoreless.

Brazil reached the last four of the Copa America on Thursday with a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Paraguay after their compelling quarter-final in Porto Alegre ended scoreless. Gabriel got the winning kick for Brazil after Gustavo Gomez and Derlis Gonzalez missed for the visitors. Roberto Firmino pulled his spot-kick wide for the hosts. Brazil, who have yet to concede a goal in their first four games, will next face the winner of Friday’s quarter-final between Argentina and Venezuela in Belo Horizonte next Tuesday. Gabriel Jesus had missed a penalty against Peru in their last group game and said he went back to his tried and tested the technique on Thursday. "In the last game I didn’t look at the keeper and I hit it hard straight away and the goalie made a good save," he added. "Today I did it my usual way, I looked calmly at the keeper and I could see him moving to the left and I side-footed it the other way," Jesus said. After a foul strewn and unexciting first half, Brazil took control when Fabian Balbuena was sent off in the 58th minute for fouling Firmino as he bore down on goal. The referee gave a penalty but changed it to a free kick on the edge of the area after consulting the video assistant referee (VAR). The sending off then saw the home side lay siege to the Paraguayan goal but without joy, Everton seeing a shot deflected over the bar, Gabriel Jesus pulling a gilt-edged chance wide, and Willian hitting the post in the last minute. "We created lots and lots of chances, the ball hit the woodwork, the goalkeeper worked miracles, but the fans helped us and we never gave up," said midfielder Arthur. "We know what football is like, it’s about small details, and we couldn’t win but we felt the good energies and we managed to get through on penalties," Arthur added. Goalkeeper Alisson, who like Arthur started his career in Porto Alegre, saluted his teammates. "This is a team that deserved the win today," Alisson said. "It was a draw but against a team that didn’t want to play unless it was on the counter-attack. We’ve gone up one step, two more to go to our objective, to be Copa America champions," added Alisson. In the other two quarter-finals, Colombia play Chile and Uruguay take on Peru.

Copa America: Brazil reach semi-final with shootout win over Paraguay

Envoys of Argentina, Brazil and Germany took part in the second part of WION World Order on Thursday where the spotlight was on the G20 Summit.

Speaking at the event Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu laid emphasis on the importance of globalisation.

He said one of the most important things that we can do today is strengthening globalisation.

"We need to work on the methods required to distribute the benefits of globalisation."

He said if the countries&nbsp;do not&nbsp;narrow the differences between one extreme and the other, then they are creating a possibility of growth of extremist ideas.

"One of the things that nowadays is criticised of globalisation that it has not been able to distribute the benefits, the economic benefits of the growth that we have shared in the international arena."

"If you are gonna do it human centre, you have to make sure and this is one of the aims of the G20 Summit. Because as far as you do not create the world and you keep on making bigger the difference between one extreme and the other, you create the possibility of a good basis to develop extremist ideas."

Walter J Lindner, the German ambassador in India said we need to find ways to work with the new technology, digitisation, artificial intelligence.

"We need to see what ethics we apply on masses of data," he added.

He said, "Today a country needs to free its economy and allow others to present their products while at the same time we need to take decisions according to our national needs."

"One of the topics that we have in Japan, the future-oriented things like the future of work which is also very dear to Prime Minister Modi."

Expressing disappointed over the dominance of such technology in the future, he said, "When robots take over all the factories, there will be no jobs what do we do in future. This is a problem for all countries."

He said the G20 also has to talk about these and not just trade and regular issues.

Speaking on multilateralism, Brazil ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago said multilateralism has been extraordinarily successful as the main objective of these organisation in the post-war has been achieved. They have avoided disastrous in all context from war, nuclear arms. 
&nbsp;

Envoys of Argentina, Brazil and Germany took part in the second part of WION World Order on Thursday where the spotlight was on the G20 Summit. Speaking at the event Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu laid emphasis on the importance of globalisation.

Envoys of Argentina, Brazil and Germany took part in the second part of WION World Order on Thursday where the spotlight was on the G20 Summit. Speaking at the event Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu laid emphasis on the importance of globalisation. He said one of the most important things that we can do today is strengthening globalisation. "We need to work on the methods required to distribute the benefits of globalisation." He said if the countries do not narrow the differences between one extreme and the other, then they are creating a possibility of growth of extremist ideas. "One of the things that nowadays is criticised of globalisation that it has not been able to distribute the benefits, the economic benefits of the growth that we have shared in the international arena." "If you are gonna do it human centre, you have to make sure and this is one of the aims of the G20 Summit. Because as far as you do not create the world and you keep on making bigger the difference between one extreme and the other, you create the possibility of a good basis to develop extremist ideas." Walter J Lindner, the German ambassador in India said we need to find ways to work with the new technology, digitisation, artificial intelligence. "We need to see what ethics we apply on masses of data," he added. He said, "Today a country needs to free its economy and allow others to present their products while at the same time we need to take decisions according to our national needs." "One of the topics that we have in Japan, the future-oriented things like the future of work which is also very dear to Prime Minister Modi." Expressing disappointed over the dominance of such technology in the future, he said, "When robots take over all the factories, there will be no jobs what do we do in future. This is a problem for all countries." He said the G20 also has to talk about these and not just trade and regular issues. Speaking on multilateralism, Brazil ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago said multilateralism has been extraordinarily successful as the main objective of these organisation in the post-war has been achieved. They have avoided disastrous in all context from war, nuclear arms.

Need to work on methods to distribute benefits of globalisation: Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu

Ahead of the G20 Summit in Japan, ambassadors from several countries joined WION to discuss the measures required to counter growing terrorism in the world.

Speaking at the&nbsp;WION World Order, Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu said G20 is not the organisation through which we could implement anything. There have been appropriate bodies and other specific forums in other organisation where discussions on minimising terrorism have taken place. Those organisations implement measures that concern terrorism, it is done through those organisation or bilateral agreement or cooperation in that field.

"We are doing as much possible through G20," he said.

Adding that global problems require global answers he said, " there is no way if you do not cooperate on those field".

Meanwhile, the German ambassador to India&nbsp;Walter J Lindner said the financial aspects of terrorism like money laundering, truck dealing should also be checked upon adding that we need to take measures to minimise this in future.

He&nbsp;said all G20 countries have been a victim of terrorism and&nbsp;we have to find a way to protect our citizens and find&nbsp;right answers to terrorism.

He added that the youth should not be radicalised and stressed&nbsp;that unemployment and other means should be eradicated to minimise terrorism.

"We need to take wide variety of&nbsp;measures to prevent that others are not radicalised, "he said.

&nbsp;

Ahead of the G20 Summit in Japan, ambassadors from several countries joined WION to discuss the measures required to counter growing terrorism in the world. Speaking at the WION World Order, Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu said G20 is not the organisation through which we could implement anything.

Ahead of the G20 Summit in Japan, ambassadors from several countries joined WION to discuss the measures required to counter growing terrorism in the world. Speaking at the WION World Order, Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu said G20 is not the organisation through which we could implement anything. There have been appropriate bodies and other specific forums in other organisation where discussions on minimising terrorism have taken place. Those organisations implement measures that concern terrorism, it is done through those organisation or bilateral agreement or cooperation in that field. "We are doing as much possible through G20," he said. Adding that global problems require global answers he said, " there is no way if you do not cooperate on those field". Meanwhile, the German ambassador to India Walter J Lindner said the financial aspects of terrorism like money laundering, truck dealing should also be checked upon adding that we need to take measures to minimise this in future. He said all G20 countries have been a victim of terrorism and we have to find a way to protect our citizens and find right answers to terrorism. He added that the youth should not be radicalised and stressed that unemployment and other means should be eradicated to minimise terrorism. "We need to take wide variety of measures to prevent that others are not radicalised, "he said.

WION World Order: We are doing as much possible through G20 on terrorism, says Argentina Ambassador Daniel Chuburu

In this segment of WION World Order, the concern is G20 summit and its outcomes. When asked to the Ambassadors of Germany, Brazil and Argentina about the G20 summit and their expectations out it see what they said.

WION World Order: Ambassadors of Brazil, Argentina and Germany talk about G20 summit

In this segment of WION World Order, the concern is G20 summit and its outcomes. Well while asked to the Ambassador of Argentina to India Ambassador Daniel Chuburu about the issue of terrorism see what he says.

WION World Order: Don't know who is winning the war against terrorism: Ambassador Daniel Chuburu

WION World Order: Centre Stage Osaka- Spotlight G20

Copa America organisers CONMEBOL defended the use of video technology at the tournament after revealing VAR stoppages had averaged two minutes 26 seconds per intervention, nearly double the time taken at the 2018 World Cup.

The lengthy delays to play owing to VAR has led to whistling from disgruntled supporters and been criticised by figures including <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-colombia-defeats-qatar-1-0-moves-to-quarter-final-228873&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS-uXA2IbjAhUXfysKHTciBYAQFjAGegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Rtxu-bdYoDV_gIx2leyXe">Colombia </a>coach Carlos Queiroz, just as the technology has become a huge topic of debate at the Women's World Cup.

CONMEBOL referees' chief Wilson Seneme gave a news conference on Tuesday after the conclusion of the group stage to discuss the use of VAR at the tournament and said there had been 17 interventions in the 18 games, with 11 on-screen reviews.

The average time per intervention easily eclipses the 80-second delays for VAR at the 2018 World Cup, the first major tournament where the technology was used.

The longest amount of stoppage time added on in the Copa was nine minutes in <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-brazil-crush-peru-to-reach-last-eight-229690&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjjiv_X2IbjAhXGXSsKHZYSDeIQFjAFegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0uPoq1x3-uyx9tjaBzWBcp">Brazil's </a>goalless draw with Venezuela, during which three goals were ruled out - two by VAR.

The extra time for stoppages added in that game was dwarfed, however, by the 18 minutes added in England's 3-0 win over Cameroon in the Women's World Cup.

"There have been no scandals and this gives us peace of mind. We are very satisfied with the result," Seneme said, adding that 15 decisions were changed as a result of the technology's use and two were upheld.

"We have been working on this since 2017 and the positive and negative results have allowed us to manage it well in 2019. The referee is still the one who decides, VAR is there to help the decisions,"&nbsp;Seneme said.

Venezuela have had a total of four goals scored against them ruled out by VAR, and after they scraped a goalless draw with hosts Brazil after two late goals were chalked off, coach Rafael Dudamel delightedly declared "Long live VAR".

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentina-beat-qatar-2-0-to-qualify-for-copa-america-last-eight-229875&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiLiPuO2IbjAhUEFogKHUqxD-4QFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0KH8wOiFoRjbPqWYsry6Vg">Argentina </a>meanwhile were losing to Paraguay when they were awarded a penalty which no-one had appealed for after VAR spotted that a shot from Lautaro Martinez had taken the slightest of deflections off the hand of Paraguay's Ivan Piris.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-lionel-messis-penalty-rescues-argentina-against-paraguay-228869&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS-uXA2IbjAhUXfysKHTciBYAQFjAHegQICxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1qwhh1mCV-kTGexBF7sw55">Lionel Messi</a> scored from the spot to salvage a 1-1 draw which proved crucial in his side progressing to the last eight, where they will face Venezuela.

Colombia coach Queiroz has been VAR's fiercest critic at the tournament, saying it desperately needed to be reviewed after it denied his side a goal and overturned a penalty that had been awarded to them in a 1-0 win over Paraguay.

“Something has to change, because the fans are left confused and the players and coaches too. VAR was supposed to make football clearer and more objective but it’s doing the opposite," Queiroz said.

“We need to have a re-think for the good of football because the fans are not happy about it and neither are we,” added&nbsp;Queiroz.

Copa America organisers CONMEBOL defended the use of video technology at the tournament after revealing VAR stoppages had averaged two minutes 26 seconds per intervention, nearly double the time taken at the 2018 World Cup.

Copa America organisers CONMEBOL defended the use of video technology at the tournament after revealing VAR stoppages had averaged two minutes 26 seconds per intervention, nearly double the time taken at the 2018 World Cup. The lengthy delays to play owing to VAR has led to whistling from disgruntled supporters and been criticised by figures including Colombia coach Carlos Queiroz, just as the technology has become a huge topic of debate at the Women's World Cup. CONMEBOL referees' chief Wilson Seneme gave a news conference on Tuesday after the conclusion of the group stage to discuss the use of VAR at the tournament and said there had been 17 interventions in the 18 games, with 11 on-screen reviews. The average time per intervention easily eclipses the 80-second delays for VAR at the 2018 World Cup, the first major tournament where the technology was used. The longest amount of stoppage time added on in the Copa was nine minutes in Brazil's goalless draw with Venezuela, during which three goals were ruled out - two by VAR. The extra time for stoppages added in that game was dwarfed, however, by the 18 minutes added in England's 3-0 win over Cameroon in the Women's World Cup. "There have been no scandals and this gives us peace of mind. We are very satisfied with the result," Seneme said, adding that 15 decisions were changed as a result of the technology's use and two were upheld. "We have been working on this since 2017 and the positive and negative results have allowed us to manage it well in 2019. The referee is still the one who decides, VAR is there to help the decisions," Seneme said. Venezuela have had a total of four goals scored against them ruled out by VAR, and after they scraped a goalless draw with hosts Brazil after two late goals were chalked off, coach Rafael Dudamel delightedly declared "Long live VAR". Argentina meanwhile were losing to Paraguay when they were awarded a penalty which no-one had appealed for after VAR spotted that a shot from Lautaro Martinez had taken the slightest of deflections off the hand of Paraguay's Ivan Piris. Lionel Messi scored from the spot to salvage a 1-1 draw which proved crucial in his side progressing to the last eight, where they will face Venezuela. Colombia coach Queiroz has been VAR's fiercest critic at the tournament, saying it desperately needed to be reviewed after it denied his side a goal and overturned a penalty that had been awarded to them in a 1-0 win over Paraguay. “Something has to change, because the fans are left confused and the players and coaches too. VAR was supposed to make football clearer and more objective but it’s doing the opposite," Queiroz said. “We need to have a re-think for the good of football because the fans are not happy about it and neither are we,” added Queiroz.

Copa America organisers 'satisfied' with use of VAR despite lengthy delays

Argentina’s 2-0 win over Qatar, their first in a tournament they have yet to set alight, could be the victory they need to kick-start their drive towards the title, Lionel Messi said on Sunday.

Argentina's win over the Asian champions, thanks to an early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late strike from Sergio Aguero, has put them into a quarter-final against Venezuela in Rio de Janeiro on Friday.

"We played a good game and we won, and that was what mattered," Messi said. "We needed a game like this to gain some confidence and calm."

"As we play more games the team grows each one and that game was good for that."

Argentina came into the match under fire after losing their opener 2-0 to Colombia and then being held 1-1 by Paraguay.

Too many of their top players have failed to reproduce their club form at international level but they were at least creating chances up front against Qatar, even if they were vulnerable at the back throughout.

The score did not reflect the number of chances – Argentina had 17 shots on goal to Qatar’s four - but neither did it flatter the Qataris, who matched Argentina for most of the first half before running out of steam.

But while no one should draw too many conclusions from a victory over Qatar, who finished with one point for the tournament, the win sets Argentina up for a run at the title they have not won since 1993.

Coach Lionel Scaloni said he was content with the performance and delighted to still be in with a chance of silverware.

"Of course there are things we can improve on but we're satisfied," he said.

"We always tried to play football and pressure them high up the pitch. I think the second half was very good.

"The message has to be that as long as we’re in the Copa America we need to keep pushing forward."

Argentina’s 2-0 win over Qatar, their first in a tournament they have yet to set alight, could be the victory they need to kick-start their drive towards the title, Lionel Messi said on Sunday.

Argentina’s 2-0 win over Qatar, their first in a tournament they have yet to set alight, could be the victory they need to kick-start their drive towards the title, Lionel Messi said on Sunday. Argentina's win over the Asian champions, thanks to an early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late strike from Sergio Aguero, has put them into a quarter-final against Venezuela in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. "We played a good game and we won, and that was what mattered," Messi said. "We needed a game like this to gain some confidence and calm." "As we play more games the team grows each one and that game was good for that." Argentina came into the match under fire after losing their opener 2-0 to Colombia and then being held 1-1 by Paraguay. Too many of their top players have failed to reproduce their club form at international level but they were at least creating chances up front against Qatar, even if they were vulnerable at the back throughout. The score did not reflect the number of chances – Argentina had 17 shots on goal to Qatar’s four - but neither did it flatter the Qataris, who matched Argentina for most of the first half before running out of steam. But while no one should draw too many conclusions from a victory over Qatar, who finished with one point for the tournament, the win sets Argentina up for a run at the title they have not won since 1993. Coach Lionel Scaloni said he was content with the performance and delighted to still be in with a chance of silverware. "Of course there are things we can improve on but we're satisfied," he said. "We always tried to play football and pressure them high up the pitch. I think the second half was very good. "The message has to be that as long as we’re in the Copa America we need to keep pushing forward."

Copa America: Lionel Messi says win over Qatar can give Argentina needed boost

An early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late second from Sergio Aguero gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday, a deserved victory that takes them into the Copa America quarter-finals to face Venezuela.

Argentina took the lead after three minutes when an atrocious pass out of defence went straight to Martinez, who made no mistake from 15 meters out.

The first half was an even affair with Martinez and Aguero missing good chances for Argentina and Bassam Alrawi clipping the post from a free kick for the Asian champions.

But even with Lionel Messi looking more spritely than in Argentina's first two games, it took them until the second half before they were able to seal the points.

With eight minutes remaining Aguero ran on to a through ball and angled a fine drive past the Qatari keeper.

"When we scored the first goal we just needed to keep our calm until the end and we were qualified," Martinez said. "We were playing a good team, we couldn't make a mess of it."

Argentina's win, their first after a loss to Colombia and a draw with Paraguay, leaves them in second place in Group B on four points behind group winners Colombia, who beat Paraguay 1-0.

They will now play Venezuela in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, while the other quarter-final ties will only be decided after Monday's final Group C matches.

"Now we need to stay focused and win the next game and keep progressing," Martinez said.

The top two teams in each group qualify for the knockout stage along with the two best third-placed sides.

Brazil and Venezuela qualified from Group A on Saturday and third place Peru will join them.

Group C will be decided on Monday when Chile play Uruguay and Ecuador take on Japan.

An early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late second from Sergio Aguero gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday, a deserved victory that takes them into the Copa America quarter-finals to face Venezuela.

An early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late second from Sergio Aguero gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday, a deserved victory that takes them into the Copa America quarter-finals to face Venezuela. Argentina took the lead after three minutes when an atrocious pass out of defence went straight to Martinez, who made no mistake from 15 meters out. The first half was an even affair with Martinez and Aguero missing good chances for Argentina and Bassam Alrawi clipping the post from a free kick for the Asian champions. But even with Lionel Messi looking more spritely than in Argentina's first two games, it took them until the second half before they were able to seal the points. With eight minutes remaining Aguero ran on to a through ball and angled a fine drive past the Qatari keeper. "When we scored the first goal we just needed to keep our calm until the end and we were qualified," Martinez said. "We were playing a good team, we couldn't make a mess of it." Argentina's win, their first after a loss to Colombia and a draw with Paraguay, leaves them in second place in Group B on four points behind group winners Colombia, who beat Paraguay 1-0. They will now play Venezuela in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, while the other quarter-final ties will only be decided after Monday's final Group C matches. "Now we need to stay focused and win the next game and keep progressing," Martinez said. The top two teams in each group qualify for the knockout stage along with the two best third-placed sides. Brazil and Venezuela qualified from Group A on Saturday and third place Peru will join them. Group C will be decided on Monday when Chile play Uruguay and Ecuador take on Japan.

Argentina beat Qatar 2-0 to qualify for Copa America last eight

Despite another shaky performance in the Copa America, Argentina still have their fate in their hands to reach the quarter-finals after drawing 1-1 with Paraguay on Wednesday as fortune shined on their side three times.

Argentina captain <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentinas-lionel-messi-hopes-to-end-trophy-heartache-at-copa-america-227262&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi7qOagqvfiAhXMQo8KHV1RBc0QFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0S9rt5n8yfIwVxG_EtPMbW">Lionel Messi</a> pulled his side level in the 57th minute after a handball by Paraguay's Ivan Peris which no-one on the pitch appealed for but was spotted by a VAR review.

Richard Sanchez had given Paraguay the lead in the 37th minute, firing into the bottom corner after a lung-bursting run from Miguel Almiron down the left wing.

Paraguay were awarded a spot-kick of their own a few minutes later but Derlis Gonzalez's shot was saved by Argentina keeper Franco Armani, who was lucky to avoid a red card when he fouled Gonzalez outside his area at the end of the first half.

Argentina are still bottom of Group B with one point from two games but they could progress to the last eight with a win over third-placed Qatar in their final group game on Sunday.

Anything less than victory against the Asian Cup winners will send Argentina out and further prolong Messi's long wait to win a trophy with his country.

The result ensured Colombia clinched top spot in the group on six points after they beat Qatar 1-0 earlier on.

Paraguay, who also threw away the lead to draw 2-2 with Qatar in their first game, are second on two points and need to beat Colombia to be guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals.

Argentina's caretaker coach <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-lionel-scaloni-expects-a-tough-start-as-argentina-prepare-to-face-colombia-227344&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi7qOagqvfiAhXMQo8KHV1RBc0QFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3XE6nDgYka9nVQPK-s7ZRU">Lionel Scaloni</a> admitted his side had not played well and struggled to cope with the shock of conceding the first goal.

'A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY'

"Our first half was not good, we played with desperation at times and we couldn't control the play or create attacks. We had a very clear plan but couldn't execute it as we kept losing the ball," he told reporters.

"They scored with their first attack and that caused us a lot of uncertainty. For a team like Argentina, which feels like it always has to win, the first blow is hard to take, but we assured the players at halftime that it was just one goal,"&nbsp;Scaloni added.

Argentina's best move came when substitute <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/sergio-agueros-return-lifts-messis-hopes-of-copa-america-glory-for-argentina-226159&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi7qOagqvfiAhXMQo8KHV1RBc0QFjAEegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw35BeC1jNSmLRAWr-4LRXa7">Aguero </a>chested down a cross and laid it off to Lautaro Martinez who hit the crossbar on the volley.

The ball fell to Messi but the captain's shot was tipped away by Paraguay keeper Roberto Fernandez.

Messi was preparing to take the resulting corner when the referee went to consult the screen and then ruled that Martinez's shot had struck the outstretched hand of Peris.

The Barcelona forward, who is playing at his eighth major tournament with Argentina and has already lost four major finals, blasted in from the spot but an awfully timed tackle by Nicolas Otamendi threatened to undo his good work.

Yet Argentina enjoyed a third slice of good fortune as Armani came to the rescue by punching Gonzalez's spot-kick away, and the River Plate goalkeeper also saved a later free kick from Matias Rojas.

Despite another shaky performance in the Copa America, Argentina still have their fate in their hands to reach the quarter-finals after drawing 1-1 with Paraguay on Wednesday as fortune shined on their side three times.

Despite another shaky performance in the Copa America, Argentina still have their fate in their hands to reach the quarter-finals after drawing 1-1 with Paraguay on Wednesday as fortune shined on their side three times. Argentina captain Lionel Messi pulled his side level in the 57th minute after a handball by Paraguay's Ivan Peris which no-one on the pitch appealed for but was spotted by a VAR review. Richard Sanchez had given Paraguay the lead in the 37th minute, firing into the bottom corner after a lung-bursting run from Miguel Almiron down the left wing. Paraguay were awarded a spot-kick of their own a few minutes later but Derlis Gonzalez's shot was saved by Argentina keeper Franco Armani, who was lucky to avoid a red card when he fouled Gonzalez outside his area at the end of the first half. Argentina are still bottom of Group B with one point from two games but they could progress to the last eight with a win over third-placed Qatar in their final group game on Sunday. Anything less than victory against the Asian Cup winners will send Argentina out and further prolong Messi's long wait to win a trophy with his country. The result ensured Colombia clinched top spot in the group on six points after they beat Qatar 1-0 earlier on. Paraguay, who also threw away the lead to draw 2-2 with Qatar in their first game, are second on two points and need to beat Colombia to be guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals. Argentina's caretaker coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his side had not played well and struggled to cope with the shock of conceding the first goal. 'A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY' "Our first half was not good, we played with desperation at times and we couldn't control the play or create attacks. We had a very clear plan but couldn't execute it as we kept losing the ball," he told reporters. "They scored with their first attack and that caused us a lot of uncertainty. For a team like Argentina, which feels like it always has to win, the first blow is hard to take, but we assured the players at halftime that it was just one goal," Scaloni added. Argentina's best move came when substitute Aguero chested down a cross and laid it off to Lautaro Martinez who hit the crossbar on the volley. The ball fell to Messi but the captain's shot was tipped away by Paraguay keeper Roberto Fernandez. Messi was preparing to take the resulting corner when the referee went to consult the screen and then ruled that Martinez's shot had struck the outstretched hand of Peris. The Barcelona forward, who is playing at his eighth major tournament with Argentina and has already lost four major finals, blasted in from the spot but an awfully timed tackle by Nicolas Otamendi threatened to undo his good work. Yet Argentina enjoyed a third slice of good fortune as Armani came to the rescue by punching Gonzalez's spot-kick away, and the River Plate goalkeeper also saved a later free kick from Matias Rojas.

Copa America: Lionel Messi's penalty rescues Argentina against Paraguay

Colombia started their Copa America campaign on a high note as they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-roger-martinez-cracker-helps-colombia-past-argentina-227523">defeating Lionel Messi's Argentina</a> 2-0, however, Colombian defender Yerry Mina believes that the team has not achieved the desired results yet.&nbsp;

"Right now we are not where we want to be but we not far away. I think, step-by-step, we are doing things well," said the Everton defender while speaking to media at the Palmeiras training center in Sao Paulo on Monday.

Colombia have won the Copa America title in 2001 and they were runners-up in 1975, and they entered the tournament as favourites.&nbsp;

Colombia have under-achieved in their recent Copa outings but now they look determined to do better this year, especially under the orders of the highly-experienced Queiroz.&nbsp;

"Individually, I'm very happy because the team is united and calm," said Mina.&nbsp;

"To be honest, if we want to achieve something (important), we must work hard and that's what we are doing, especially understanding what the coach wants from us - which is very important," he added.&nbsp;

If Colombia manage to defeat Qatar, they are through to the knock-out round but Qatar could be a difficult quest.&nbsp;

Qatar fought back a 2-0 deficit against Paraguay to gain a point last Sunday.&nbsp;

Colombia started their Copa America campaign on a high note as they defeating Lionel Messi's Argentina 2-0, however, Colombian defender Yerry Mina believes that the team has not achieved the desired results yet.

Colombia started their Copa America campaign on a high note as they defeating Lionel Messi's Argentina 2-0, however, Colombian defender Yerry Mina believes that the team has not achieved the desired results yet. "Right now we are not where we want to be but we not far away. I think, step-by-step, we are doing things well," said the Everton defender while speaking to media at the Palmeiras training center in Sao Paulo on Monday. Colombia have won the Copa America title in 2001 and they were runners-up in 1975, and they entered the tournament as favourites. Colombia have under-achieved in their recent Copa outings but now they look determined to do better this year, especially under the orders of the highly-experienced Queiroz. "Individually, I'm very happy because the team is united and calm," said Mina. "To be honest, if we want to achieve something (important), we must work hard and that's what we are doing, especially understanding what the coach wants from us - which is very important," he added. If Colombia manage to defeat Qatar, they are through to the knock-out round but Qatar could be a difficult quest. Qatar fought back a 2-0 deficit against Paraguay to gain a point last Sunday.

Copa America: Colombia not far away, says defender Yerry Mina

Electricity services have been restored to all of Argentina and Uruguay following a massive blackout that left around 48 million people without power on Sunday, authorities said.

The cut, which began just after 7:00 am, also caused short, localized losses of power in Paraguay, but didn't impact Tierra del Fuego in Argentina's extreme south because the region is not part of the national system.

The episode was the first time a power cut had affected the majority of Argentina, with a population of more than 44 million, and the entirety of Uruguay, which has 3.4 million inhabitants.

"These are failures that occur (even) with diligence. The amazing thing is the chain of events that took place to cause the total disconnection," Argentina's Energy Ministry Gustavo Lopetegui told a press conference.

He said the outage took place "automatically to protect the system." "We don't have any more information right now on how it occurred. We're not ruling out any possibility, but a cyber attack is not among the main alternatives being considered."

Argentina's energy secretariat had earlier said the "interconnection system" had "collapsed," producing "a massive power cut" for which its generators had been unable to compensate, but that the causes had not been determined.

Sources from the official energy agency of Paraguay, which borders Argentina to the northeast, told AFP that cuts there had been "momentary." A spokesperson for RGE, the biggest energy distributor in Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state that borders both Argentina and Uruguay, said they'd had no reports of cuts.

Earlier in the day, power had returned to some sectors of Buenos Aires but the metro and trains were still halted.

Public hospitals and private clinics were running on generators.

"The only inconvenience is the elevators. We only have one working, but all services are operating without problems," said an employee at the Fernandez Hospital.

It is Father's Day in Argentina and some restaurants were expecting many customers.

"This killed us," Luciano Ferreira, the owner of a popular restaurant in the Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, told AFP.

The restaurant had been fully booked and Ferreira had been expecting to make two or three times as much money as on a normal day.

Some people shared messages on WhatsApp with advice on how to prepare for a lengthy outage, such as collecting water.

In the interior plains region of Junin, residents stocked up on drinking water sold in supermarkets.

"Fortunately, we had two buckets on the patio that were filled with rainwater. We've gone back to the Stone Age," Eduardo Gralatto told AFP.

In Cordoba, Argentina's second city, people headed to bakeries looking to buy supplies for the traditional Father's Day barbecue.

"We decided to open because we need to work, but early on we lost seven or eight tables of customers because we couldn't prepare coffee or bake bread," Carlos Arce, the owner of a bakery, told AFP.

Argentines also went to the polls in several provinces on Sunday to elect governors, with some local media reporting voters cast ballots by candlelight. In Montevideo, some restaurants in the downtown area had power back by 11:00 am (1400 GMT).

More than an hour after the blackout, UTE said its system was being brought back "from zero." Argentina and Uruguay have a common power grid centered on the bi-national Salto Grande dam, 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires.

Electricity services have been restored to all of Argentina and Uruguay following a massive blackout that left around 48 million people without power on Sunday, authorities said.

Electricity services have been restored to all of Argentina and Uruguay following a massive blackout that left around 48 million people without power on Sunday, authorities said. The cut, which began just after 7:00 am, also caused short, localized losses of power in Paraguay, but didn't impact Tierra del Fuego in Argentina's extreme south because the region is not part of the national system. The episode was the first time a power cut had affected the majority of Argentina, with a population of more than 44 million, and the entirety of Uruguay, which has 3.4 million inhabitants. "These are failures that occur (even) with diligence. The amazing thing is the chain of events that took place to cause the total disconnection," Argentina's Energy Ministry Gustavo Lopetegui told a press conference. He said the outage took place "automatically to protect the system." "We don't have any more information right now on how it occurred. We're not ruling out any possibility, but a cyber attack is not among the main alternatives being considered." Argentina's energy secretariat had earlier said the "interconnection system" had "collapsed," producing "a massive power cut" for which its generators had been unable to compensate, but that the causes had not been determined. Sources from the official energy agency of Paraguay, which borders Argentina to the northeast, told AFP that cuts there had been "momentary." A spokesperson for RGE, the biggest energy distributor in Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state that borders both Argentina and Uruguay, said they'd had no reports of cuts. Earlier in the day, power had returned to some sectors of Buenos Aires but the metro and trains were still halted. Public hospitals and private clinics were running on generators. "The only inconvenience is the elevators. We only have one working, but all services are operating without problems," said an employee at the Fernandez Hospital. It is Father's Day in Argentina and some restaurants were expecting many customers. "This killed us," Luciano Ferreira, the owner of a popular restaurant in the Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, told AFP. The restaurant had been fully booked and Ferreira had been expecting to make two or three times as much money as on a normal day. Some people shared messages on WhatsApp with advice on how to prepare for a lengthy outage, such as collecting water. In the interior plains region of Junin, residents stocked up on drinking water sold in supermarkets. "Fortunately, we had two buckets on the patio that were filled with rainwater. We've gone back to the Stone Age," Eduardo Gralatto told AFP. In Cordoba, Argentina's second city, people headed to bakeries looking to buy supplies for the traditional Father's Day barbecue. "We decided to open because we need to work, but early on we lost seven or eight tables of customers because we couldn't prepare coffee or bake bread," Carlos Arce, the owner of a bakery, told AFP. Argentines also went to the polls in several provinces on Sunday to elect governors, with some local media reporting voters cast ballots by candlelight. In Montevideo, some restaurants in the downtown area had power back by 11:00 am (1400 GMT). More than an hour after the blackout, UTE said its system was being brought back "from zero." Argentina and Uruguay have a common power grid centered on the bi-national Salto Grande dam, 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires.

Argentina, Uruguay restore power after massive blackout

Power returned to much of Argentina and two neighboring countries following a massive blackout that left tens of millions in the dark on Sunday, but Argentine President Mauricio Macri said the cause of the "unprecedented" outage was still unclear.

Power mostly restored after massive blackout in Argentina & Uruguay, but questions remain

Roger Martinez scored an outstanding goal as Colombia beat Argentina 2-0 in an exciting finale to a Copa America Group B opener on Saturday that burst into life after a sluggish start.

Just as Colombia looked like being overwhelmed by a dangerous-looking Argentina side, substitute Martinez controlled a cross-field ball on the left wing in the 71st minute before cutting across the area and smashing it into the far top corner.

His fellow substitute Duvan Zapata made doubly sure Colombia would record their first win over Argentina since 2007 by pouncing from close range to knock in a cross from Jefferson Lerma 15 minutes later.

"We knew that it was a long time since we beat Argentina and we're delighted," Zapata told reporters.

"We'll enjoy this, it's a great result but the tournament goes on and there are lot of difficult games to go."

Both sets of supporters whipped up a lively atmosphere at a near-full Arena Fonte Nova, providing a much-needed boost for tournament organisers CONMEBOL after over 40,000 seats were left empty in Peru's game with Venezuela earlier in the day.

The fans were struggling for anything to get excited about as the first half dragged on, however.

Colombia initially looked stronger but Argentina were a different beast when Rodrigo de Paul replaced Angel di Maria immediately after the interval and captain Lionel Messi was able to find space to cause some problems.

Messi wasted the best chance of the game before Martinez's piledriver broke the deadlock when he skewed a rebound wide from close range, and the Barcelona forward also went on a thrilling solo run into the area but could not get a shot away.

A mass brawl ensued when Messi was cut down by Colombia's Juan Cuadrado in the second half while Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes fizzed two shots at goal.

A goal from Lionel Scaloni's side looked imminent but Colombia's usual talisman James Rodriguez split their defence with an impressive long pass to Martinez, who had come on early in the game after Luis Muriel was forced off by injury.

Martinez's stunning strike floored Argentina and although they came back with a couple more attempts, they never looked like scoring.

"We were good in the first 20 mins then we had a bad end to the half,"," said Scaloni.

"We lost the ball a lot but in the second half we were very superior to Colombia. Then, when we were playing at our best, they scored on the counterattack."

The coach also complained about the state of the pitch, calling it "lamentable".

"But the thing I will take from the game is that we were able to adjust and improve in the second half," he added. "That might not sound like much but it will help us in our next games."

Argentina, who won the last of their 14 South American titles in 1993, face Paraguay in their second match in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday.

Colombia, Copa America champions once in 2001, top Group B with three points ahead of Qatar's meeting with Paraguay on Sunday. They next play the Qataris in Sao Paulo, also on Wednesday.

Roger Martinez scored an outstanding goal as Colombia beat Argentina 2-0 in an exciting finale to a Copa America Group B opener on Saturday that burst into life after a sluggish start.

Roger Martinez scored an outstanding goal as Colombia beat Argentina 2-0 in an exciting finale to a Copa America Group B opener on Saturday that burst into life after a sluggish start. Just as Colombia looked like being overwhelmed by a dangerous-looking Argentina side, substitute Martinez controlled a cross-field ball on the left wing in the 71st minute before cutting across the area and smashing it into the far top corner. His fellow substitute Duvan Zapata made doubly sure Colombia would record their first win over Argentina since 2007 by pouncing from close range to knock in a cross from Jefferson Lerma 15 minutes later. "We knew that it was a long time since we beat Argentina and we're delighted," Zapata told reporters. "We'll enjoy this, it's a great result but the tournament goes on and there are lot of difficult games to go." Both sets of supporters whipped up a lively atmosphere at a near-full Arena Fonte Nova, providing a much-needed boost for tournament organisers CONMEBOL after over 40,000 seats were left empty in Peru's game with Venezuela earlier in the day. The fans were struggling for anything to get excited about as the first half dragged on, however. Colombia initially looked stronger but Argentina were a different beast when Rodrigo de Paul replaced Angel di Maria immediately after the interval and captain Lionel Messi was able to find space to cause some problems. Messi wasted the best chance of the game before Martinez's piledriver broke the deadlock when he skewed a rebound wide from close range, and the Barcelona forward also went on a thrilling solo run into the area but could not get a shot away. A mass brawl ensued when Messi was cut down by Colombia's Juan Cuadrado in the second half while Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes fizzed two shots at goal. A goal from Lionel Scaloni's side looked imminent but Colombia's usual talisman James Rodriguez split their defence with an impressive long pass to Martinez, who had come on early in the game after Luis Muriel was forced off by injury. Martinez's stunning strike floored Argentina and although they came back with a couple more attempts, they never looked like scoring. "We were good in the first 20 mins then we had a bad end to the half,"," said Scaloni. "We lost the ball a lot but in the second half we were very superior to Colombia. Then, when we were playing at our best, they scored on the counterattack." The coach also complained about the state of the pitch, calling it "lamentable". "But the thing I will take from the game is that we were able to adjust and improve in the second half," he added. "That might not sound like much but it will help us in our next games." Argentina, who won the last of their 14 South American titles in 1993, face Paraguay in their second match in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. Colombia, Copa America champions once in 2001, top Group B with three points ahead of Qatar's meeting with Paraguay on Sunday. They next play the Qataris in Sao Paulo, also on Wednesday.

Copa America: Roger Martinez cracker helps Colombia past Argentina

A massive outage blacked out Argentina and Uruguay on Sunday, leaving both South American countries without electricity, power companies said.

By mid-morning, streets were largely empty in a rainy Buenos Aires although some stores were open, operating with generators, while Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, was almost entirely without power with only some traffic lights working. &nbsp;

Uruguay's system went down at 7:06 am (1006 GMT), according to the Uruguayan power company UTE, which attributed the outage to "a fault in the Argentine network."

"The causes are being investigated and have not yet been determined," Argentina's Secretariat of energy said on its Twitter account, adding it would take "some hours" to restore power completely.

Argentina, with 44 million people, and Uruguay, with 3.4 million, have a common power grid centred on the bi-national Salto Grande dam, 450 kilometres (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires. &nbsp;

Two Argentine power companies confirmed that the failure knocked out electricity throughout Argentina, without specifying the cause.

"A massive failure in the electrical interconnection system left all Argentina and Uruguay without power," Edesur Argentina said on Twitter.

Edenor, Argentina's largest electricity distributor, attributed the outage to a "general failure in the interconnection system."

UTE said the failure left Uruguay's "entire national territory without service, as well as several provinces of the neighbor country."

More than an hour after the blackout, UTE said its system was being brought back "from zero."

"Some coastal cities already have service and work continues toward general restoration (of power)," it said.&nbsp;

A massive outage blacked out Argentina and Uruguay on Sunday, leaving both South American countries without electricity, power companies said. By mid-morning, streets were largely empty in a rainy Buenos Aires although some stores were open, operating with generators, while Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, was almost entirely without power with only some traffic lights working.

A massive outage blacked out Argentina and Uruguay on Sunday, leaving both South American countries without electricity, power companies said. By mid-morning, streets were largely empty in a rainy Buenos Aires although some stores were open, operating with generators, while Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, was almost entirely without power with only some traffic lights working. Uruguay's system went down at 7:06 am (1006 GMT), according to the Uruguayan power company UTE, which attributed the outage to "a fault in the Argentine network." "The causes are being investigated and have not yet been determined," Argentina's Secretariat of energy said on its Twitter account, adding it would take "some hours" to restore power completely. Argentina, with 44 million people, and Uruguay, with 3.4 million, have a common power grid centred on the bi-national Salto Grande dam, 450 kilometres (280 miles) north of Buenos Aires. Two Argentine power companies confirmed that the failure knocked out electricity throughout Argentina, without specifying the cause. "A massive failure in the electrical interconnection system left all Argentina and Uruguay without power," Edesur Argentina said on Twitter. Edenor, Argentina's largest electricity distributor, attributed the outage to a "general failure in the interconnection system." UTE said the failure left Uruguay's "entire national territory without service, as well as several provinces of the neighbor country." More than an hour after the blackout, UTE said its system was being brought back "from zero." "Some coastal cities already have service and work continues toward general restoration (of power)," it said.

Massive power outage hits Argentina, Uruguay: Power companies

Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico has praised captain <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/hope-messi-can-play-in-copa-america-says-argentina-coach-lionel-scaloni-192788&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjY19ns6OriAhXXV30KHem9BxEQFjAEegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jYYgB3nQB4igmljf4GP74">Lionel Messi</a> for his desire to win a trophy for his country as they begin their quest to end a 26-year wait for silverware with their Copa America opener against Colombia on Saturday.

Messi took time out after their limp 2018 World Cup campaign ended with defeat by eventual champions France but the Barcelona forward returned to the team earlier this year to prepare for the Copa -- the last trophy Argentina won, in 1993.

Messi, now 31, also quit the national team after losing the 2016 Copa America final to Chile, a fourth successive defeat in a major final for Argentina after agonising losses in the 2007 and 2015 Copa finals and the 2014 World Cup showpiece.

"I am lucky enough to have been in the same team as Messi before and his desire is what impresses me the most," Tagliafico told a news conference ahead of the Group B game at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador.

"He keeps wanting to come back and keep trying, it's incredible. He is the same as he was at the World Cup, he is calm, relaxed and has the same desire as ever,"&nbsp;Tagliafico said.

Coach Lionel Scaloni echoed the defender's description of Argentina's all-time top scorer Messi, who has been unable to replicate his achievements with Barcelona for his country.

"I want to emphasise his enthusiasm to play football. He was born to play football, he was born to win. We are impressed by his enthusiasm and the fact he is here sharing that desire to win with us makes us enormously happy," Scaloni said.

Scaloni revealed his entire starting lineup against Colombia, putting Messi in a familiar front three alongside veteran forwards Angel di Maria and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/sergio-agueros-return-lifts-messis-hopes-of-copa-america-glory-for-argentina-226159&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjY19ns6OriAhXXV30KHem9BxEQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1-0nGYu-w9B0qneDEUJSVg">Sergio Aguero.</a>

The midfield will be formed by the relatively inexperienced trio of Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes and Guido Rodriguez, while Tagliafico will be joined in defence by Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella and Renzo Saravia, with Franco Armani in goal.

Third-choice goalkeeper Esteban Andrada has been withdrawn from the squad after suffering a knee injury on Thursday and replaced by Udinese's Juan Musso.

Scaloni has been in temporary charge since the World Cup and has expressed a desire to stay in the job after the Copa America, but said he would not be judged for his results alone.

"The most important thing is not just the results but how you get them, it's important that the fans can identify themselves with the team and like the way we play," he added.

Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico has praised captain Lionel Messi for his desire to win a trophy for his country as they begin their quest to end a 26-year wait for silverware with their Copa America opener against Colombia on Saturday.

Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico has praised captain Lionel Messi for his desire to win a trophy for his country as they begin their quest to end a 26-year wait for silverware with their Copa America opener against Colombia on Saturday. Messi took time out after their limp 2018 World Cup campaign ended with defeat by eventual champions France but the Barcelona forward returned to the team earlier this year to prepare for the Copa -- the last trophy Argentina won, in 1993. Messi, now 31, also quit the national team after losing the 2016 Copa America final to Chile, a fourth successive defeat in a major final for Argentina after agonising losses in the 2007 and 2015 Copa finals and the 2014 World Cup showpiece. "I am lucky enough to have been in the same team as Messi before and his desire is what impresses me the most," Tagliafico told a news conference ahead of the Group B game at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador. "He keeps wanting to come back and keep trying, it's incredible. He is the same as he was at the World Cup, he is calm, relaxed and has the same desire as ever," Tagliafico said. Coach Lionel Scaloni echoed the defender's description of Argentina's all-time top scorer Messi, who has been unable to replicate his achievements with Barcelona for his country. "I want to emphasise his enthusiasm to play football. He was born to play football, he was born to win. We are impressed by his enthusiasm and the fact he is here sharing that desire to win with us makes us enormously happy," Scaloni said. Scaloni revealed his entire starting lineup against Colombia, putting Messi in a familiar front three alongside veteran forwards Angel di Maria and Sergio Aguero. The midfield will be formed by the relatively inexperienced trio of Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes and Guido Rodriguez, while Tagliafico will be joined in defence by Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella and Renzo Saravia, with Franco Armani in goal. Third-choice goalkeeper Esteban Andrada has been withdrawn from the squad after suffering a knee injury on Thursday and replaced by Udinese's Juan Musso. Scaloni has been in temporary charge since the World Cup and has expressed a desire to stay in the job after the Copa America, but said he would not be judged for his results alone. "The most important thing is not just the results but how you get them, it's important that the fans can identify themselves with the team and like the way we play," he added.

Argentina's Lionel Messi hopes to end trophy heartache at Copa America

Argentine head coach Lionel Scaloni said that the team has to take precautions for his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/preview-of-the-12-teams-taking-part-in-2019-copa-america-226324#argentina-226307">side's opening match against Colombia</a> in the Copa America 2019.&nbsp;

During a pre-match press conference, Scaloni told reporters, "In the opening match of the Copa America or any important tournament like this one, there are not easy matches."

"Of course, Colombia is a very good team and we will take our precautions, but we have to think in our game and not in our rival's one, then as I mentioned before, we will take our precautions, but we have a clear game plan," he added.&nbsp;

Scaloni echoed the defender's description of Argentina's all-time top scorer Messi, who has been unable to replicate his achievements with Barcelona for his country.

"I want to emphasise his enthusiasm to play football. He was born to play football, he was born to win. We are impressed by his enthusiasm and the fact he is here sharing that desire to win with us makes us enormously happy," Scaloni said.&nbsp;

Scaloni has been in temporary charge since the World Cup and has expressed a desire to stay in the job after the Copa America, but said he would not be judged for his results alone.

"The most important thing is not just the results but how you get them, it's important that the fans can identify themselves with the team and like the way we play," he added.

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For a fact, Argentina have not lost against Colombia since 2007 as they have won four out of eight official matches.&nbsp;

Argentina have a rich Copa America history having won the title 14 times, but the last of these came back in 1993.

They have also finished runners-up 14 times, including in the last two editions.&nbsp;

Argentine head coach Lionel Scaloni said that the team has to take precautions for his side's opening match against Colombia in the Copa America 2019. During a pre-match press conference, Scaloni told reporters, "In the opening match of the Copa America or any important tournament like this one, there are not easy matches.

Argentine head coach Lionel Scaloni said that the team has to take precautions for his side's opening match against Colombia in the Copa America 2019. During a pre-match press conference, Scaloni told reporters, "In the opening match of the Copa America or any important tournament like this one, there are not easy matches." "Of course, Colombia is a very good team and we will take our precautions, but we have to think in our game and not in our rival's one, then as I mentioned before, we will take our precautions, but we have a clear game plan," he added. Scaloni echoed the defender's description of Argentina's all-time top scorer Messi, who has been unable to replicate his achievements with Barcelona for his country. "I want to emphasise his enthusiasm to play football. He was born to play football, he was born to win. We are impressed by his enthusiasm and the fact he is here sharing that desire to win with us makes us enormously happy," Scaloni said. Scaloni has been in temporary charge since the World Cup and has expressed a desire to stay in the job after the Copa America, but said he would not be judged for his results alone. "The most important thing is not just the results but how you get them, it's important that the fans can identify themselves with the team and like the way we play," he added. #SelecciónMayor ¡Comienza la @CopaAmerica! #PodemosJuntos 🙌 pic.twitter.com/HZk11LMC5o — Selección Argentina 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) June 15, 2019 × For a fact, Argentina have not lost against Colombia since 2007 as they have won four out of eight official matches. Argentina have a rich Copa America history having won the title 14 times, but the last of these came back in 1993. They have also finished runners-up 14 times, including in the last two editions.

Copa America: Lionel Scaloni expects a tough start as Argentina prepare to face Colombia

Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-still-driven-to-win-with-argentina-insists-sergio-aguero-223110&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXhvCz4-DiAhVh7nMBHfBgCNcQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vLSmTKr7TrCRkeUUa479k">Sergio Aguero</a> has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America.

Even though he is third on Argentina's list of all-time top scorers and has a prolific record with Manchester City, Aguero has started only 14 games in major tournaments since making his World Cup debut in 2010.

But with Gonzalo Higuain retired, he is set to play a central role in Brazil.

Aguero played his part in memorable triumphs for his country at youth level, twice winning the under-20 World Cup as well as claiming an Olympic gold medal alongside Messi at the 2008 Beijing Games.

But he is desperate to win a major international trophy, above all for Messi, who has lost four finals with the national team, missing out on the last two Copa America finals with painful penalty shootout defeats to Chile.

"I'm more excited about winning for Leo than for myself because he has played for so long and he has suffered so much," Aguero told Fox Sports.

"Whenever I talk with Leo, we always say 'Pray that one day it happens for us'. It's what he wants and it's what we all want. I put myself in his shoes and I want to do the best," Aguero said

Just as <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-broke-down-in-dressing-room-after-barcelonas-humiliating-defeat-to-liverpool-217028&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjwqY2g4-DiAhVK6nMBHW0zClgQFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw15Hbae0VU2MWfGomU-GTV_">Messi </a>has been unable to replicate his glut of trophies with Barcelona on the international stage, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/funny-twitter-reactions-after-sergio-aguero-misses-penalty-against-tottenham-hotspur-in-champions-league-clash-209187&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXhvCz4-DiAhVh7nMBHfBgCNcQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EcRrRprAD6q3d184eUW26">Aguero </a>also showed a desire to balance his considerable success at City with a prize with Argentina after winning a domestic treble.

"I'm feeling fit and I finished the season well, I have no injuries and I want to do the same for Argentina as I do with City," he added.

Argentina face a daunting opening game in Group B against Colombia but should be confident of beating Paraguay and Qatar to progress to the quarter-finals.

Coach Lionel Scaloni was not the most glamorous of choices to succeed Jorge Sampaoli after their woeful World Cup campaign.

However, the former defender, who was an assistant to Sampaoli, has earned six wins in nine friendly games with the team.

He has picked a side largely lacking in experience but containing exciting young players such as Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso and Inter Milan forward Lauturo Martinez.

Messi has admitted that unlike previous Copa America tournaments, his side are no longer the favourites, but that should not affect their ambition.

"We go there with the same excitement and hope as always but the reality is we are in a period of transition and are not candidates," Messi said.

"There are many new players with few games but we're going to try and win it as we always have done. A Copa America is so important, whether it's in Brazil or anywhere else. It's been a long time since Argentina won it," Messi said.

Argentina won the last of their 14 Copa America titles in 1993.

Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend Sergio Aguero has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America.

Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend Sergio Aguero has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America. Even though he is third on Argentina's list of all-time top scorers and has a prolific record with Manchester City, Aguero has started only 14 games in major tournaments since making his World Cup debut in 2010. But with Gonzalo Higuain retired, he is set to play a central role in Brazil. Aguero played his part in memorable triumphs for his country at youth level, twice winning the under-20 World Cup as well as claiming an Olympic gold medal alongside Messi at the 2008 Beijing Games. But he is desperate to win a major international trophy, above all for Messi, who has lost four finals with the national team, missing out on the last two Copa America finals with painful penalty shootout defeats to Chile. "I'm more excited about winning for Leo than for myself because he has played for so long and he has suffered so much," Aguero told Fox Sports. "Whenever I talk with Leo, we always say 'Pray that one day it happens for us'. It's what he wants and it's what we all want. I put myself in his shoes and I want to do the best," Aguero said Just as Messi has been unable to replicate his glut of trophies with Barcelona on the international stage, Aguero also showed a desire to balance his considerable success at City with a prize with Argentina after winning a domestic treble. "I'm feeling fit and I finished the season well, I have no injuries and I want to do the same for Argentina as I do with City," he added. Argentina face a daunting opening game in Group B against Colombia but should be confident of beating Paraguay and Qatar to progress to the quarter-finals. Coach Lionel Scaloni was not the most glamorous of choices to succeed Jorge Sampaoli after their woeful World Cup campaign. However, the former defender, who was an assistant to Sampaoli, has earned six wins in nine friendly games with the team. He has picked a side largely lacking in experience but containing exciting young players such as Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso and Inter Milan forward Lauturo Martinez. Messi has admitted that unlike previous Copa America tournaments, his side are no longer the favourites, but that should not affect their ambition. "We go there with the same excitement and hope as always but the reality is we are in a period of transition and are not candidates," Messi said. "There are many new players with few games but we're going to try and win it as we always have done. A Copa America is so important, whether it's in Brazil or anywhere else. It's been a long time since Argentina won it," Messi said. Argentina won the last of their 14 Copa America titles in 1993.

Sergio Aguero's return lifts Messi's hopes of Copa America glory for Argentina

Preview of the 12 teams taking part in 2019 Copa America

Thousands took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Monday (June 3) for the capital's annual march against gender-based violence. Thousands of women were joined by men in the peaceful march that looked to call on the government to enact stricter policies to protect women and not allow their attackers to walk free. Demonstrators used the hashtag #NiUnaMenos, or #NotOneMore (woman) to promote the movement on social media.

Thousands of Argentines protest violence against women

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=lionel+messi">Lionel&nbsp;Messi</a>&nbsp;still "loves" the Argentine national team despite more than a decade of disappointments, international team-mate Sergio Aguero said on Thursday as the pair prepare for the Copa America in neighbouring Brazil.

Despite trophy cupboards laden with club accolades, both&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;and Aguero have suffered much heartache with the Argentine national team.

Messi, Argentina's all-time leading scorer, and Aguero were part of the Argentine squads that lost three major finals in successive years at the 2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa America and 2016 Centenario Copa America.

Messi&nbsp;was also a beaten finalist in the 2007 continental tournament.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's national team frustrations are well known and at 31 he is fast running out of opportunities to win a major international honour with his country.

He has already retired from international duty once before -- albeit briefly -- and took eight months off following Argentina's World Cup last 16 exit just under a year ago.

"We all know the desire that Leo has when he comes here," said Aguero from Argentina's training base just outside Buenos Aires.

"The happiness he transmits is fundamental for us because we know very well how much he loves the national team."

Disappointment

Despite winning Spain's La Liga for the 10th time with Barcelona this season, it was a disappointing one for&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;even at club level.

He made no secret of his desire to win the Champions League this season, even admitting before the campaign began how much he wanted to bring that "beautiful cup back to Camp Nou."

He's won it four times with Barca but not since 2015, and in the last three seasons the Catalan giants have been eliminated after crushing away defeats -- the last two of those despite taking a three-goal advantage into their second leg matches from the first leg at the Camp Nou.

At the weekend, Barca also lost 2-1 to Valencia in the Copa del Rey final.

"No-one likes to lose. Obviously, he's been disappointed in the last competitions after the Champions League and Copa del Rey" defeats, said Aguero.

"But he's great, he's experienced, he knows football is like this, that there is joy and in some moments there is sadness... He knows that better than anyone."

The Argentine national team has been training at home this week ahead of a pre-Copa friendly against Nicaragua on June 7.

They will then leave for Brazil where&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;and his partners will begin their Group B campaign against Colombia in Salvador on June 15.

They will also play Paraguay and Asian champions and the next World Cup hosts Qatar, first time guests to South America's major showpiece.

While&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;and Aguero have more than 200 caps and over 100 international goals between them, much of coach Lionel Scaloni's squad is made up of inexperienced youngsters.

"Most of us are new, there's a new coaching staff. (But) Argentina is Argentina, us players will fight until the end for Argentina to be the best," said Aguero.

Lionel Messi still "loves" the Argentine national team despite more than a decade of disappointments, international team-mate Sergio Aguero said on Thursday as the pair prepare for the Copa America in neighbouring Brazil.

Lionel Messi still "loves" the Argentine national team despite more than a decade of disappointments, international team-mate Sergio Aguero said on Thursday as the pair prepare for the Copa America in neighbouring Brazil. Despite trophy cupboards laden with club accolades, both Messi and Aguero have suffered much heartache with the Argentine national team. Messi, Argentina's all-time leading scorer, and Aguero were part of the Argentine squads that lost three major finals in successive years at the 2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa America and 2016 Centenario Copa America. Messi was also a beaten finalist in the 2007 continental tournament. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's national team frustrations are well known and at 31 he is fast running out of opportunities to win a major international honour with his country. He has already retired from international duty once before -- albeit briefly -- and took eight months off following Argentina's World Cup last 16 exit just under a year ago. "We all know the desire that Leo has when he comes here," said Aguero from Argentina's training base just outside Buenos Aires. "The happiness he transmits is fundamental for us because we know very well how much he loves the national team." Disappointment Despite winning Spain's La Liga for the 10th time with Barcelona this season, it was a disappointing one for Messi even at club level. He made no secret of his desire to win the Champions League this season, even admitting before the campaign began how much he wanted to bring that "beautiful cup back to Camp Nou." He's won it four times with Barca but not since 2015, and in the last three seasons the Catalan giants have been eliminated after crushing away defeats -- the last two of those despite taking a three-goal advantage into their second leg matches from the first leg at the Camp Nou. At the weekend, Barca also lost 2-1 to Valencia in the Copa del Rey final. "No-one likes to lose. Obviously, he's been disappointed in the last competitions after the Champions League and Copa del Rey" defeats, said Aguero. "But he's great, he's experienced, he knows football is like this, that there is joy and in some moments there is sadness... He knows that better than anyone." The Argentine national team has been training at home this week ahead of a pre-Copa friendly against Nicaragua on June 7. They will then leave for Brazil where Messi and his partners will begin their Group B campaign against Colombia in Salvador on June 15. They will also play Paraguay and Asian champions and the next World Cup hosts Qatar, first time guests to South America's major showpiece. While Messi and Aguero have more than 200 caps and over 100 international goals between them, much of coach Lionel Scaloni's squad is made up of inexperienced youngsters. "Most of us are new, there's a new coaching staff. (But) Argentina is Argentina, us players will fight until the end for Argentina to be the best," said Aguero.

Lionel Messi still driven to win with Argentina, insists Sergio Aguero

Thousands of Argentines, many wearing green scarfs, gathered in the country’s main cities on Tuesday to support the bill on the Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy, which aims to establish legal, safe and free abortions.

Protesters rally to demand the legalization of abortion in Argentina

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - May 6th, 2019

Argentine labour unions staged a 24-hour nationwide strike on Tuesday (April 30) against President Mauricio Macri's fiscal austerity program, blocking streets in the capital Buenos Aires and shutting down traffic in the city centre.

WION Wallet: Argentine labour unions stage strike, slam Macri for subsidy cuts

Argentine officials defended new price control measures on Monday, saying they would not damage a broader economic reform program, despite criticism by some economists that the moves went against President Mauricio Macri's free market push.

WION Wallet: Argentine government defends price controls, says they will not harm economic reforms

Former Brazilian striker Rivaldo feels that&nbsp;a player like <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Lionel+Messi">Lionel Messi</a> deserves World Cup title and the Argentine "must be a world champion".&nbsp;

"I like him so much and I always say I feel so sad because he never won the World Cup with Argentina. It is an award he deserves because a world-class player like him must be a world champion," Rivaldo was quoted by a sports website.&nbsp;

The 47-year-old said that Messi's performance in&nbsp;La Liga and&nbsp;Champions League should be&nbsp;recognised. &nbsp;

"He has been scoring goals, giving assists and being the top scorer in La Liga for a long time and I think what he has been doing in the Champions League means his merits should be recognised," he added.&nbsp;

Rivaldo also said that&nbsp;Messi deserves Ballon d'Or even if he doesn't win&nbsp;UEFA Champions League with Barcelona.&nbsp;

"Even if he doesn't win the Champions League, however, he already deserves the Ballon d'Or," added Rivaldo.&nbsp;

The La Liga giants defeated Manchester United in the last eight of UCL to set up the semi-final clash with Liverpool.&nbsp;

With 10 goals, Messi is the leading goal scorers in the ongoing season of Champions League.&nbsp;

He also five Ballon d'Or under his belt and if he lifts this year's award, it will take his tally to six.&nbsp;

Former Brazilian striker Rivaldo feels that a player like Lionel Messi deserves World Cup title and the Argentine "must be a world champion". "I like him so much and I always say I feel so sad because he never won the World Cup with Argentina.

Former Brazilian striker Rivaldo feels that a player like Lionel Messi deserves World Cup title and the Argentine "must be a world champion". "I like him so much and I always say I feel so sad because he never won the World Cup with Argentina. It is an award he deserves because a world-class player like him must be a world champion," Rivaldo was quoted by a sports website. The 47-year-old said that Messi's performance in La Liga and Champions League should be recognised. "He has been scoring goals, giving assists and being the top scorer in La Liga for a long time and I think what he has been doing in the Champions League means his merits should be recognised," he added. Rivaldo also said that Messi deserves Ballon d'Or even if he doesn't win UEFA Champions League with Barcelona. "Even if he doesn't win the Champions League, however, he already deserves the Ballon d'Or," added Rivaldo. The La Liga giants defeated Manchester United in the last eight of UCL to set up the semi-final clash with Liverpool. With 10 goals, Messi is the leading goal scorers in the ongoing season of Champions League. He also five Ballon d'Or under his belt and if he lifts this year's award, it will take his tally to six.

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Pope Francis said during an interview to a Spanish TV channel&nbsp;that Barcelona's star footballer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Lionel+Messi">Lionel Messi</a> is great but "he is not God".

Lionel Messi currently tops the European Top Scorer standings with 31 goals from 27 appearances ahead of Paris-Saint Germain's Kylian Mbappe.&nbsp;

Messi has scored 16 goals in 12 Champions League appearances to help Barca reach the quarterfinals in the ongoing season and also helped his side reach the Copa del Rey final.&nbsp;

For his great footwork and decisive skills, Messi is often hailed as football God by his fans.&nbsp;

Also for fans, Messi is 'D10S', a combination of the Spanish word for "God" - "Dios" - with the No. 10 on his shirt.&nbsp;

The leader of the Catholic Church explained that theoretically, Messi's reference to God is a violation of something which is sacred and it shouldn't be done.&nbsp;

"In theory, it is sacrilege," said Pope Francis, who is known to be a football fan.&nbsp;

"You can't do it," he added.&nbsp;

Pope, who was Born in Buenos Aires, is also a club member of Buenos Aires side San Lorenzo.&nbsp;

Recently, Messi's two goals gave Barcelona victory in the Catalan derby over Espanyol on Sunday, taking the Liga leaders another step closer to the title.&nbsp;

Pope Francis said during an interview to a Spanish TV channel that Barcelona's star footballer Lionel Messi is great but "he is not God". Lionel Messi currently tops the European Top Scorer standings with 31 goals from 27 appearances ahead of Paris-Saint Germain's Kylian Mbappe.

Pope Francis said during an interview to a Spanish TV channel that Barcelona's star footballer Lionel Messi is great but "he is not God". Lionel Messi currently tops the European Top Scorer standings with 31 goals from 27 appearances ahead of Paris-Saint Germain's Kylian Mbappe. Messi has scored 16 goals in 12 Champions League appearances to help Barca reach the quarterfinals in the ongoing season and also helped his side reach the Copa del Rey final. For his great footwork and decisive skills, Messi is often hailed as football God by his fans. Also for fans, Messi is 'D10S', a combination of the Spanish word for "God" - "Dios" - with the No. 10 on his shirt. The leader of the Catholic Church explained that theoretically, Messi's reference to God is a violation of something which is sacred and it shouldn't be done. "In theory, it is sacrilege," said Pope Francis, who is known to be a football fan. "You can't do it," he added. Pope, who was Born in Buenos Aires, is also a club member of Buenos Aires side San Lorenzo. Recently, Messi's two goals gave Barcelona victory in the Catalan derby over Espanyol on Sunday, taking the Liga leaders another step closer to the title.

Lionel Messi is 'not God', says Pope Francis

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