Argentina 1-0 Switzerland
(after extra time)
- Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo – Attendance 63,255
- Referee – Jonas Eriksson
- Argentina goal – Di Maria (118)
- Bookings – Rojo, Garay, Di Maria, Xhaka, Fernandes,
The way that Argentina are playing in this World Cup is reminiscent of 1986 when a certain Diego Maradona carried them kicking and screaming to the title.
They no longer have Maradona in the ranks but they have an equivalent mini genius in the form of the much lauded diminutive Barcelona number ten, Lionel Messi.
It was a game that on paper was to be one sided but Argentina have not been in inspiring form throughout the competition so far. Their opponents Switzerland have been stubborn enough to qualify behind France and this was another stubborn performance from them.
In a round of games that was expected to have one poor match up in Costa Rica v Greece, this one ran them close. Neither team took a hold of the game and the final ball continually escaped them. You only have to look at the statistics that so often do not give you the true picture. For this one it did.
Argentina had a total of 29 efforts on goal with only 8 of the on target along with 13 corners. Switzerland had 15 efforts on goal and marginally better with 8 on target with just 5 corners.
The highlight of a dour first half was the day glow fluorescent kit that the Swiss keeper Benaglio was modelling. This obviously had an effect on Real Madrid winger Di Maria who was absolutely terrible throughout. How he was not substituted before half time, let alone full time, was a complete mystery. That alone turned out to be a masterstroke.
After the regular ninety minutes had passed with no score it was on to extra time and this is where best to pick up the action as there was a distinct lack of it. The game continued to be played in the middle of the park through the likes of Shiqiri and Messi trying to force the game into life.
It all happened in the final five minutes which almost allowed you to forget what had gone on before. The previously elusive Messi picked up the ball and went on one of his trademark runs. He did enough to draw enough Swiss defenders leaving Di Maria free to slot home past the keeper. He still had to finish it and his form in the game leading up to the goal might have suggested a miss was on the cards.
The game turned frantic with the Swiss pushing everyone forward and the Argentines desperately trying to hang on with every cynical tackle they could muster. An equaliser was so close for the Swiss who had to come out of their rigid defensive format.
An attempted overhead kick by the fluorescently adorned keeper was one effort that caused havoc in the Argentine defence. That was soon followed by a deep corner that was met by Dzemaili whose header hit the foot of the post only to return to him too quickly for him adjust and the ball struck him and rolled agonisingly wide of the post.
That was not their only effort. They had one last chance. Yet another cynical Argentine challenge just outside the box on Shiqiri who was always going to make the most of it. The free kick was given and it was a matter of score to force penalties or go home for the Swiss.
The seconds ticked by as the referee wrestled with the Argentine wall to keep them behind the foam line that he had sprayed just outside the six yard box. Tension was evident and the need was very reminiscent of that free kick by Beckham against Greece all those years ago. This one was closer.
Shiqiri stepped up and his effort tamely hit the jumping defender on the end of the wall making it quite the anti-climax and ultimately the end of the game.
As a whole, it was quite forgettable considering the games that had gone before it. An Argentina side that is far from hitting any kind of gear let alone top gear, move on to the quarter finals and a game against the Belgians.
The maestro that is Messi may well do a Maradona, and by that I do not mean the hand of god.
