 |
| Granit Xhaka of Switzerland and Angel di Maria of Argentina compete for the ball during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Round of 16 match between Argentina and Switzerland at Arena de Sao Paulo on July 1, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. |
For the best part of two hours he cut a frustrated figure, smothered by the attention of a superb Swiss defence and staring at the terrifying prospect of losing out on penalties.
At 27 there might have been no way back for Lionel Messi, the last realistic chance of winning a World Cup, and so the opportunity to emulate the great Diego Maradona, possibly gone.
But Alejandro Sabella had said Messi can do for Argentina now what Maradona did for their country back in 1986 and for the fourth consecutive game of this astonishing tournament the magical, masterful No 10 proved the difference between the two teams.
He was not the match winner on this occasion. That honour would go to the irrepressible Angel Di Maria. But Messi would emerge as the provider of the all-important pass, delivered to perfection, after an explosive trademark run.
For Switzerland it was so, so cruel. For 118 minutes they had more than provided an answer to the best that Argentina could throw at them.
They were the better team for the first half, creating much the better chances, and courageous in their defiance after the break. Diego Benaglio, their goalkeeper, was magnificent. As were
Fabian Schaer and his colleagues in the Swiss back four.
After the first half chances that were so wastefully missed, it made defeat all the more painful for a Swiss team that certainly looks capable of troubling England come those Euro 2016 qualifiers.
That said, Hitzfeld will not be in charge and Roy Hodgson can be thankful for that. Because a manager who has twice won the Champions League, who yesterday even had to deal with the tragic news of his brother’s death, proved himself a brilliant tactician here. His side might have conceded five to a rampant France but here, once again, was proof of the impact a top international coach can have on his team.
While Hitzfeld encouraged Xherdan Shaqiri to terrorise Argentina’s defence in a manner that delighted the Brazilians whose yellow shirts broke up the sea of blue and white that dominated the Arena De Sao Paulo, he had his more defensive players brilliantly drilled to nullify the attacking threat of Argentina. Di Maria ended up conceding possession 37 times in normal time. Messi found himself surrounded by three or four red shirts every time he was on the ball.
Indeed, that burst of speed that saw Messi ride one challenge before knocking that pass into the path of Di Maria represented the first time he had found space between the Swiss midfield and the back four. But as Hitzfield acknowledged afterwards ‘it only take one second for Messi to decide a match’.
That it does, but is also doesn’t hide the fact that Argentina remain far too reliant on their captain. Even when he endures what was comfortably his worst performance of the tournament so far.
For the Argentina fans it must have been torturous, the goal coming as such a relief to one chap he jumped in the air and proceeded to tumble with quite a thud down the stairs. The fact that he was dressed as The Pope served only to magnify his embarrassment, although his apparent escape from serious injury was nothing short of miraculous. More predictable was the evidence of an imbalance in this Argentina team. Alejandro Sabella might have insisted that the defensive fragility they had shown until now would be addressed. But the Swiss were doing a number on his side, soaking up the pressure and hitting them on the break.
After a cagey first 25 minutes Granit Xhaka should have tested Sergio Romero more than he did. His shot was way too tame. But if Xhaka was guilty of lacking conviction, it was nothing compared to Josip Drmic when he was sent clear by a marvellous, defence-splitting pass from Shaqiri. He had only Romero to beat but his left-foot chip was floated meekly into the arms of a relieved Argentina goalkeeper and to the understandable disappointment of Shaqiri.
A quick assessment of the 22-year-old Shaqiri: at times it was like watching a young Cristiano
Ronaldo with all those step-overs but he really is a super little player. After the break and the Swiss would continue to squander opportunities, with Drmic misfiring after another pass from Shaqiri.
By now Argentina were starting to threaten more. Benaglio had to stretch to parry an angled shot from Marcos Rojo, and was more impressive still when he then diverted a close-range header from Gonzalo Higuain over his crossbar.
Benaglio would then deny Messi when it seemed the Barcelona superstar had finally carved out an opportunity for himself.
The final chance in normal time would nevertheless fall to the Swiss, with Fabian Schaer missing with a header he too should have buried.
In extra time, Benaglio would then thwart Ezequiel Garay. Di Maria too. But not in the 118th minute.
Not once Messi had intervened and Di Maria had produced what was a fabulous finish.
