South America's finest show their faces at Copa semis

	Argentina's big guns have become the biggest show of the Copa América tournament. AP
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MARACAIBO, Venezuela -- There's been an idea going around South American soccer that the gaps are narrowing between the historic powers and the traditionally weaker teams.

There has been plenty of evidence in World Cup qualifiers to back it up -- most noticeably the rise of Ecuador which, as recently as 20 years ago, was a whipping boy and has now made it to the last two World Cups.

But the empire has come roaring right back in the 42nd Copa América. All but six of the tournaments have been won by Uruguay, Argentina or Brazil -- the three South American nations that are now in the semifinals.

Completing the lineup is Mexico, which has no titles to its name but has a solid record in the competition since it was first invited in 1993. The story of this Copa América, then, is that the big hitters have come through.

The biggest hitter has been Argentina, with 13 goals in four matches, many of them jewels. Some were worried as the team seemed to struggle through the scoreless first half of its quarterfinal against Peru. Coach Alfio Basile was not among them.

"This is the way we play," he growled in his distinctive deep voice in the post-match press conference. "We're a patient team. When we've got the ball, the opposition can't hurt us and we keep the ball, pull the opponents around the field and then when they are tired the spaces start opening up."

Basile said he was enchanted with his team's second half, when it ran in four top-quality goals. Argentina's coach has emerged as one of the key figures of the Copa. He has thoroughly charmed the Argentine press, which seems to relate to him as some type of father figure. That voice is not only the product of nature -- whisky and cigarettes have helped lower it a few notes -- there is also much of the bon vivant in his approach to soccer.

"The team is doing what I want on the field," he said, "which does not just mean winning." Basile is obsessed with how his side wins -- his romantic attachment to traditional Argentine passing football currently makes his team a strong contender to be the No. 1 attraction in international soccer.

But now it comes up against Mexico in Puerto Ordaz for the fourth chapter in what has become an annual epic. Mexico was the winner in the '04 Copa, Argentina came through on penalties in the '05 Confederations Cup and needed extra time in last year's World Cup.

Another intriguing battle could be a key duel between two of the best players in the tournament so far. Mexico's Nery Castillo (the Uruguayans will claim that he is more one of them than a Mexican) has been outstanding, giving his side's attack a combination of pace and skill that helped Mexico knock off the Brazilians and ensured that a potentially tight quarterfinal against Paraguay was effectively over inside the first five minutes.