- Stephen Pollard
- Tue, Jul 01 2014
Argentina were given a real scare against a committed Switzerland team in the last 16 game at Sao Paulo. Angel Di Maria’s 117th minute winner eventually handing Alejandro Sabella’s team the win after Extra Time.
After an opening 25 minutes filled with endeavour from the Swiss side, it was Argentina who created the first chance of note. Lionel Messi lined up a free kick on the right hand side, to swing it into the area. He did just that, and found the head of Gonzalo Higuain, but the Napoli forward’s header looped over the bar.
Moments later, Xherdan Shaqiri showed the vast range of creative tools he possesses. After some fine skill on the right, he found Granit Xhaka. The Albanian descended midfielder had a delightful effort from the pass which was superbly stopped by Sergio Romero.
For the most part in the opening period, the unfathomable talent of Messi was stifled by the classy defensive work of Gokhan Inler. A couple of minutes before the break though, the little maestro weaved his way through the Swiss side before laying off a pass to Angel Di Maria. He took a single touch before firing a weak shot straight at Diego Benaglio.
Five minutes after the break, Xhaka was fouled by Javier Mascherano 30 yards from the Argentine goal on the Swiss right. Shaqiri stood over the free kick, staring at an unusually high defensive line from Argentina. In response to that, the Bayern Munich man took a surprising shot which Romero batted away with his finger tips, the ball was destined for the top corner had Romero not made the stop.
Just beyond the hour mark, Marcos Rojo charged forward past Stephan Lichsteiner. He sought out Higuain with a beautifully rounded cross, and found him. The header was good, but not good enough as Benaglio tipped the ball over the bar in superb fashion to deny the former Real Madrid man.
Messi was as usual, at the heart of all his side did. When he picked up the ball at the edge of the Swiss area, you knew a chance was on its way. He mazed his way through the Swiss defence with real majesty but his shot was outstandingly stopped by Wolfsburg keeper Benaglio.
Both sides had late half chances but none of them crossed the sacred whitewash and as a result, the game proceeded to Extratime.
The first half of Extra time saw a once jaded Swiss team wake up from their second half slumber. Their best two chances fell to sub Haris Seferovic but both times they were blocked down by the exceptional Ezequiel Garay.
Three minutes into the second period of Extratime, Di Maria almost sent the Argentine fans into raptures. He cut in from the right before unleashing a flashing left footed rocket which Benaglio beautifully tipped past the post.
With just two minutes left until a penalty shoot out, Argentina’s two main men came up trumps. Messi was the provider, he drifted through the Swiss midfield with a frighteningly quick turn of pace before sliding the ball to Di Maria in the area. He took a single touch before curling the ball around Benaglio to break Swiss hearts.
This world cup could not fail to excite, and in stoppage time, of extra time, Switzerland were denied by the woodwork. A cross from the right found its way to Blerim Dzemaili and his header smashed right off the post and was hacked clear.
The Swiss had yet another opportunity in the fifth minute of added time in extra time when Shaqiri stood over a free kick, but it was headed clear by the wall and Argentina marched on to the last eight of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina: Sergio Romero; Pablo Zabaleta, Federico Fernández, Ezequiel Garay, Marcos Rojo (Jose Basanta 105); Javier Mascherano, Fernando Gago (Lucas Biglia 106); Angel Di Maria; Lionel Messi, Ezequiel Lavezzi (Rodrigo Palacio 74); Gonzalo Higuaín
Booked: Rojo (90), Di Maria (120), Garay (120)
Subs not used: Agustin Orion (GK), Mariano Andujar (GK), Hugo Campagnaro, Martin Demichelis, Enzo Perez, Maxi Rodriguez, Ricardo Alvarez, Augusto Fernandez.
Switzerland: Diego Benaglio; Stephan Lichsteiner, Fabian Schar, Johan Djourou, Ricardo Rodriguez; Gokhan Inler, Valon Behrami; Granit Xhaka (Gelson Fernandes 66), Xherdan Shaqiri, Admir Mehmedi (Berlim Dzemaili 113); Josip Drmic (Haris Seferovic 82) .
Booked: Xhaka (36), Fernandes (73)
Subs not used: Roman Buerki (GK), Jann Sommer (GK), Philippe Senderos, Reto Ziegler, Michael Lang, Tranquillo Barnetta, Valentin Stocker.
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)
Attendance: 63,255
Extratime.com Man of the Match: Angel Di Maria - Had a poor game on the surface, but had 12 shots on goal and his persistance paid dividends late on with a stellar match winning finish.
