By Patrick R. Anderson
Two-time World Cup champions Argentina struggled on Tuesday.
But even in struggling, the 1978 and 1986 World Champions still managed to advance to the quarter-finals of the 20th FIFA World Cup finals with an extra time strike from Angel Di Maria, who was set up by a surging run from Lionel Messi.
The teams sparred with each other from the kick-off, with Switzerland defending stoutly and smartly and at no time appeared to be like swiss cheese.
Argentina dominated possession, but it was Switzerland who could have had a 2-0 lead at half time. Xherdan Shaqiri cut in from the left side in the 28th minute and found Granit Xhaka, whose shot was stopped by goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Then in the 38th minute, Josip Drmic found himself all alone with Romero and missed a clear opportunity to give the Swiss the lead.
In the second half, Argentina attacked down the flanks, particularly through overlapping wing back Marcos Rojo.
But the deadlock was unbroken after regulation time of 90 minutes, and onto extra time they went.
The first fifteen minutes produced little. Until Switzerland turned the ball over at the half line with two minutes left in extra time. The dangerous and world acclaimed Lionel Messi picked up the loose ball and made a surging run of about 40 yards like a tidal wave to the top of Switzerland’s penalty box, where he picked out Di Maria to his right, and Di Maria calmly slotted a left footed grounder past the diving Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio in the 118th minute.
Argentina 1, Switzerland 0. The Swiss resistance finally broken. And not even Bereford Hammond with his monster hit “Putting up resistance” could help. Except, the Swiss should have equalised soon thereafter, but Blerim Dzemaili’s header from three yards away hit the right upright, then rebounded off his knee into touch for a goal kick.
And Argentina escaped with a 1-0 victory.
View the original article here
Argentina by a whisker, through to quarter-finals of World Cup
