Tuesday 1 July 2014
Angel Di Maria’s strike in the 11th hour of extra time sunk Switzerland and snatched Argentina a place in the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals. A goalless draw seemed inevitable until, on 118 minutes, Lionel Messi produce one of his patented dribbles to set up the Real Madrid man, who duly booked La Albiceleste a trip to Brasilia.
Ottmar Hitzfeld set his charges up defending very deep and in numbers, and the tactic served to limit Argentina to nothing more than half-chances in the first half. Gonzalo Higuain headed over from a Lionel Messi free-kick, while goalkeeper Diego Benaglio was up to tame attempts from Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria.
The game was on the cusp on a penalty shoot-out, until Messi went on one of his mesmerising dribbled and teed up Di Maria, whose first-time strike curled around the arm of the diving Benaglio and into the bottom corner.
Play restarted on 119 minutes, but Switzerland almost equalised, with Blerim Dzemali's header coming back off the post, hitting him and rolling just wide. Shaqiri had the last chance, firing a free-kick into the wall as Argentina hung on.
They will now face the winners of Belgium-USA for a place in the semi-finals.
They will now face the winners of Belgium-USA for a place in the semi-finals.
