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.
Over at the Arena Fonte Nova in the city of Salvador in front of 51,227 people, Belgium scored a hard fought extra-time victory over a gritty United States America to set-up the quarter-final meeting with Argentina.
A match which saw both teams in with chances throughout the regulation time of 90 minutes, but Chris Wondolowski, the substitute who came on in the 72nd minute to replace Graham Zusi, will be having nightmares for a long time to come. Wondolowski missed a great scoring opportunity with no time left on the clock in regulation time, receiving a headed pass to the right channel from Jermaine Jones, found himself wide open as the Amazon, and missed the target from inside the six yard box.
Belgium would be grateful for that, and made USA pay for what should have been a 1-0 USA win.
Romelu Lukaku came on in the first minute of extra time, replacing Divock Origi, and he broke free down the right flank, showed physical strength and composure by shaking off a defender, crossed into the box, where a waiting Kevin de Bruyne beat an outstanding USA goalkeeper Tim Howard for the first time in the 93rd minute from 7 yards.
Belgium 1, USA 0.
Then in the 105th minute, Lukaku who by now was a terror for the USA, bore down in the penalty box and received a wonderful pass by de Bruyne, and on the run Lukaku hit a one time left footed shot to the near post to make it 2-0 .
But no sooner Belgium thought the match was over, up popped 19-year-old Julian Green, getting a pass in the penalty box, and under pressure hit a right footed volley pass Courtois to make it 2-1 in the 107th minute.
The USA pressed Belgium for the remainder of the match, creating multilpe scoring chances for the equaliser, but failed to capitalise.
In the end, Belgium won 2-1 and will meet Argentina in Saturday’s quarter-final.
So the quarter-final brackets have been filled.
On Friday, Brasil plays Colombia at 3p.m., while France oppose Germany in the opener at 11am ; then on Saturday, The Netherlands tackle CONCACAF team Costa Rica at 3p.m. , and Argentina face Belgium at 11am`.
HITZ92FM will have LIVE commentary starting with the pregame show at 10:30am, while TVJ will have the best pregame show starting at 10am.
The World Cup finals take a 2-day break and resumes on Friday July 4.
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Argentina by a whisker, to meet Belgium in quarter-finals of World Cup
