Argentina advances as Gonzalo Higuain ends Belgium Cup dream 1-0

Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina (2nd L) celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Angel di Maria (L), Lionel Messi (2nd L) and Lucas Biglia during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Quarter Final match between Argentina and Belgium at Estadio Nacional on July 5, 2014 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

ABC

For once Lionel Messi didn't carry Argentina on his shoulders.

He didn't have to.

Gonzalo Higuain ended a four-game scoreless streak with an early winner as Argentina beat Belgium 1-0 and reached a World Cup semifinal match for the first time since 1990.

"Since the first game of this World Cup I said I was calm, that the goals would come. It came and at an important moment," Higuain said. "It's been so many years since we made it to the semifinals. Now we did."

Higuain came into the World Cup still recovering from an ankle injury that had sidelined him since early May. The 26-year-old Napoli striker looked out-of-form in the group stage and wasn't giving Argentina the edge it needed in the penalty area.

That changed in the eighth minute of the game in Brasilia, as he picked up a deflected pass from Angel Di Maria just inside the area and beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a half-volley toward the far post.

"Higuain has the class to put the ball where he wants it. There is nothing we could do about it," Courtois said.

Di Maria and Argentina broke the hearts of the Swiss 1-0

 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.

The Daily Mail 

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’.

Lionel Messi shines as Argentina escapes a tough Bosnian side 2-1

Messi lived up to expectations

Bleacher Report

Argentina were made to work hard before claiming a 2-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in their World Cup Group F opener.

An early goal did not spark a goal-fest, but Lionel Messi showed his class with a wonderful second-half effort that set Argentina on their way to three points. Vedad Ibisevic set up a grandstand finish when he poked a shot through the legs of Sergio Romero with six minutes remaining, but Argentina held on.

If Bosnia-Herzegovina had a game plan to frustrate Argentina, it went out of the window three minutes into the contest.

Sergio Aguero was hacked down on the left, and Mensur Mujdza was made to pay a heavy price. A wicked free-kick from Messi was flicked on by Marcos Rojo, and the ball hit Sead Kolasinac and dribbled over the line.

The goal was a major setback for a side facing one of the favourites for the competition, but they shook off the blow to match Argentina early on.

The Bosnians’ work rate was impressive. They swarmed round the likes of Messi, Aguero and Angel Di Maria when not in possession and drove forward at pace when in control of the ball.

Izet Hajrovic caused the first major scare for Argentina when he dashed beyond the back line, but Romero was swift to race off his line and make a brave save.

It was not exactly the free-flowing spectacle from Argentina that had been hoped for, with the early goal possibly acting as an inhibitor.

Banega out of Argentine squad