second place again

Yesterday was the soccer final for the Copa America (it's like an equivalent of the Euro Cup, but for South America), and Argentina played against the host team of Chile.

This was an excellent chance for Argentina, captained by the best player of the world Lionel Messi, to make up for the loss of last year in the World Cup against Germany. Argentina have not won a major tournament since 1993, and Lionel Messi (who has broken crazy records with his club Barcelona) has never won a major tournament with his national team.

Considering the talent that they have in their offensive front, they should have no issues in scoring: Di Maria (key player for Real Madrid to win the UEFA Champion League last year), Aguero (led Manchester City to win Premier League in 2012), Pastore (helped Paris Saint Germain win the French league since 2012).

Plus, they have above-average players in the defensive front: Romero (goalkeeper that has proven to be reliable), Otamendi and Demichelis (solid defenders), Biglia and Macherano (gladiators in the midfield). This team is really a monster.

But they lost against Chile in penalty shootouts, and once again are got a second place.

I have been a fan of Argentina since 1994, when I first watched them defeat Greece 4-0, I instantly fell in love with the Albiceleste. I was very sad when they lost against Germany last year in the World Cup (especially because I was in Brazil, watching the game on a big screen in the beaches of Copacabana, after getting bad night sleep at the airport and standing for more than 4 hours). This time I was really hopeful but ended up being disappointed again.

A major portion of the disappointment comes from the fact that Argentina did not play to its maximum capability. They beat Paraguay brilliantly 6-1, showcasing their offensive weapons. Against Chile, they only had one very good chance to score (I even jumped from the couch and slide onto the carpet, causing a small laceration on my left knee).  It's true that Chile is a really good team, and that they played smart and rough, but most key players in Argentina under-performed or failed to deliver on the most decisive moments (some argued that it is the pressure or anxiety or that they are not "sweating the T-shirt" enough).

This reminds me of how Christians should behave at decisive moments. We spend a lot of time studying the bible at church and in small groups, and we learn a lot. But when opportunity comes for us to help the needy, to share the gospel, to provide a reason of our hope to those who do not believe, to serve the church community, to reconcile with someone, to confront someone about the truth of the Word of God, or any other activities that pushes us outside of our comfort zone, do we act well on these decisive moments?

It is so easy to just not do anything about it and have the easy way out, but our mission is a different one as salt and light of this world. And once we take the step to do the right thing, I am hopeful that God will provide and equip us with the right words and actions.