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Argentina 3, Mexico 1

Argentina: Tevez 26, Higuain 33, Tevvez 52

Mexico: Javier Hernandez 71

Argentina Starting Line-up: (4-1-2-3)

22-Sergio Romero;

15-Nicolas Otamendi, 2-Martin Demichelis, 4-Nicolas Burdisso, 6-Gabriel Heinze;

14-Javier Mascherano;

20-Maxi Rodriguez, 7-Angel Di Maria;

10-Lionel Messi, 9-Gonzalo Higuain, 9-Gonzalo Higuain.

Mexico: (4-3-3)

1-Oscar Perez;

16-Efrain Juarez, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 4-Rafael Marquez, 3-Carlos Salcido;

5-Ricardo Osorio, 18-Andres Guardado, 6-Gerardo Torrado;

21-Adolfo Bautista, 17-Giovani Dos Santos, 14-Javier Hernandez.

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

Venue: Soccer City Stadium (Johannesburg)

Argentina – who no one knew what to expect of after a poor qualifying campaign – finished atop Group B and were the only team alongside the Netherlands to win all three group games. Unlike the Netherlands, though, Argentina were hugely impressive, particularly considering the doubts that clouded their preparation and the criticism leveled at coach Diego Maradona. Messi, who has come under fire for his patchy form with the national team since El Diego took over, was at the heart of Argentina’s explosive attack in the group stages despite not finding the back of the net. There were moments against Nigeria and South Korea when they looked shaky and uncertain at the back, but keeping in mind their horrendous defending in the qualifying campaign, they looked significantly better in every single department on the pitch. Mexico reached the second round for the fifth consecutive World Cup without much trouble. They drew with hosts South Africa after trailing by one goal, but that was pretty much the only spot of bother they faced. In their second match, they comfortably saw off France 2-0 and the score would have been more one-sided had the Mexicans converted the chances they created against a French team that couldn’t care less. They were beaten by Uruguay, 1-0, losing out on the top spot.

Mexico were looking to break their hoodoo and reach the quarter-finals for the first time. The Mexicans were hoping to exact revenge on Argentina, who edged past them in 2006 in extra-time thanks to a wondrous goal by Maxi Rodriguez.

El Tri started the game brightly and were agonisingly close of opening the score in the 8th minute when Salccido’s dipping shot from 30 yards was tipped to the bar by the Albiceleste keepr Romero. Argentina were hardly given a moment to breathe a sigh a relief as Guardado burst down the left flank and fired a low shot that just fizzed by the post moments later.

Mexico decided the attack right from the word go and by adopting this strategy, they risked being exposed by the talented Argentinian attackers who thrive in space. Messi exploded to find some space in the 12th minute but his ambitious chip was palmed away by the Mexican keeper.

Mexico’s pace caused the Argentine defence trouble again in the 14th minute when they launched a swift counter-attack following an Argentina corner, than ended with Manchester United signing Javier Hernandez slicing a fierce shot wide.

In addition to taking it to Argentina and attacking without fear, they started very aggressively and it looked like they were targeting Messi with hard tackles, something Diego Maradona heavily criticised in his post-match press conference.

This match was in stark contrast with the game between England and Germany. Both Argentina and Mexico were determined to play some possession football, to hold on the ball and move it neatly until they found a hole in the opponent’s defence, whereas England’s inability to keep the ball allowed Germany to destroy them on the counter-attack time and time again.

This game calmed down after the first 10 minutes when Mexico had a magnificent spell and were desperately unlucky not to score, but the teams were equal until the turning point of the match, which came in the 26th minute. Again, it was a moment shrouded in controversy. Messi set up Tevez with a fine pass but the latter’s shot was blocked by the Mexican keeper, Messi was on the rebound to dink the ball and Carlos Tevez, who was clearly off-side, nodded the ball home. The Mexican players were absolutely furious and rightly so, it was a crystal-clear off-side and Mexico are entitled to feel hard done by as they have been on top of Argentina hitherto. Moments after the goal was scored, replays on the big screen showed that Tevez was unquestionably off-side and you could see the look of embarrassment on Rosetti’s face because it was a mistake that turned the match on its head.

For Argentina’s second goal, however, Mexico had only themselves to blame. Some shockingly dreadful defending from Osorio gifted the ball to Higuain who coolly rounded the keeper and slipped the ball in. It was the sort of mistake you cannot afford to do against a team of the quality and the class of Argentina and the hot-headed Mexicans, who were still reeling from the heavy blow of injustice inflicted to them, sank down in even deeper agony with woeful defending. Osorio committed another mistake in the 36th minute, giving the ball away to Tevez whose cross just evaded Messi six yards out. If Messi had gotten to the ball, the match would have been done and dusted. Moments later, Di Maria could have made it 3-0 with a low strike but Perez did well to produce a diving save.

Mexico are one of the youngest teams in the World Cup and it looked like they struggled to digest all that had passed in front of them. It was undoubtedly a hard pill to swallow for the Mexicans, but they were losing it with disturbing rapidity.

Higuain could have punished Mexico in the 52nd minute when he received a beautiful cross from Maxi and he had all the freedom and the time in the world to direct his header and kill the match off, but he headed wide of the post.

For all their frustration, Mexico had a chance to cut the deficit moments before the interval but Hernadez’s shot from a wonderful cross by Salcido flew straight at Romero’s hands.

Mexico started the second half positively and tested the shaky Argentine defence in various occasions but they were rocked by another Tevez goal. This time, however, it was a thing of beauty. A good 25 yards out, Tevez fired a first-time sizzling drive into the top corner of the net, giving the keeper no chance.

After that goal, Argentina were content to relax and allow Mexico to dictate, perhaps thinking ahead of their clash with Germany. Mexico, despite the many setbacks they had to deal with in this match, continued fighting and trying hard and they eventually got a small reward when Javier Hernadez turned beautifully away from Di Michelis, motored to the area, and slammed a fantastic shot home.

Argentina didn’t allow Mexico to ride the momentum, though, and they got hold on the ball and were happy to keep things quiet and slow. Towards the end, Messi rode two tackles but his shot was well saved by the keeper.

This match left a bad taste in the mouth but despite Mexico’s impressive performance, you could say that the better team won at the end of the day.   \

Budour Hassan
DFN Sports Staff Writer