Football Talk - Argentina thrashed by Bolivia - 02/04/09
Argentina suffered their worst defeat in 60 years when they were thrashed 6-1 in Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier.
Argentina, like many teams before them, struggled to cope with the altitude in the Bolivian mountains as Diego Maradona lost his 100 per cent record as manager in remarkable style.
Striker Joaquin Botero scored a hat-trick as Marcelo Martins, Alex da Rosa and Didi Torrico also got on the scoresheet with Luis Gonzalez getting the solitary goal for the visitors. Maradona, who avoided blaming the altitude of La Paz which lies 3,600 metres above sea level, gave credit to his opponents and said he suffered alongside the Argentine public.
"I suffered with them (the Argentine public)," Maradona told reporters. "Every Bolivia goal was a stab in my heart. If we had dreamed this was going to happen before the game, we would have thought it was impossible. We have to give merit to Bolivia who were better than us in every part of the field.
"There is nothing to say. They beat us well and now we have to start all over again. Bolivia played a great game and hit the target with every attack. They all played well from the goalkeeper to the last substitute."
