Angel di Maria swooped deep into extra-time to give Argentina a 1-0 win over Switzerland in a gripping FIFA World Cup last-16 tie on Tuesday to book his side a clash in the quarter-finals against Belgium.
After a tense 0-0 draw at 90 minutes and scoreless first period of extra-time in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Argentina playmaker Lionel Messi suddenly found of space and released Di Maria, who swept the ball home before wheeling away in delight.
Blerim Dzemaili came within inches of saving Switzerland when his powerful downward header hit the post with goalkeeper Sergio Romero stranded, but Argentina rode their luck to victory, leaving their rivals slumped on their knees in despair.
Photo: Reuters
Di Maria, who gave the ball away far too easily, but peppered the opposing goal with shots throughout the game, said the entire Albiceleste squad deserved credit for the win.
“It wasn’t me, the heroes are 23 players and the technical staff. We gave our lives, our souls,” said Di Maria, who dedicated the goal to his wife and daughter.
It was a cruel end for Switzerland, who stretched Argentina early on, but lost steam in the latter stages.
Photo: AFP
“Football is brutal, brutal, brutal,” Switzerland assistant coach Michel Pont said after the game.
Messi revealed the inner torment his team felt as the game dragged toward a dreaded penalty shootout.
“Suffering, suffering, that’s what we felt,” he said. “We know we will go through times like this. That’s football. We had luck on our side.”
Photo: AFP
Argentina leaned heavily on Messi throughout the group stage, in which the mercurial No. 10 had four of their six goals, and the forward was again at the heart of all their best work at the Arena Corinthians.
While the Schweizer Nati managed to keep Messi off the scoresheet, coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he had made the difference.
“We know that Messi in one second can decide a match and he has sufficient qualities for that, but then the pass to Di Maria and then the marvellous shot by Di Maria,” said Hitzfeld, who was philosophical about his side still waiting for their first-ever win over Argentina.
“This is football, these are strong emotions and these are emotions you only have in football and that’s why we love football,” he added.
Switzerland came closest in a tight first half when impish playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri released Josip Drmic through on goal, but the score remained tied at 0-0 at halftime.
The game opened up in the second as Argentina grabbed the momentum, but could not make the breakthrough and the 90 minutes ended scoreless.
Just when it looked like referee Jonas Eriksson would call a shootout, Messi scampered clear and picked out Di Maria, who curled a left-foot shot around the diving Diego Benaglio to seal the win with three minutes left in extra-time.
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