Argentina are through to the semifinals after beating Colombia 1-0 in Esadio Nacional in Brasilia.
Argentina didn’t waste time getting going in this match. Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria found the ball frequently and helped free up their teammates. Di Maria got a little luck and a pass that was headed for Pablo Zabaleta was redirected right to the feet of Gonzalo Higuaín. The Napoli man had no problem with the bounding ball, and brilliantly volley'd it passed stout Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Messi was then held at bay for the rest of the match. Belgium did a good job keeping him in front and providing support when needed. Argentina did suffer a loss though. Angel Di Maria had to be subbed out in the 33rd minute. It looked like a upper leg/quad injury, and the team said they will be running tests tomorrow.
After Di Maria’s departure, the Argentina attack slowed down. It wasn’t the most exciting quarterfinal match, as there were a total of 3 shots on frame between the two teams, which was the complete opposite of the performance Belgium had against the United States where they had 26.
The Argentine defense did a great job frustrating the Belgian attack. Especially in the second half, their organized back line caught the Belgians offside multiple times. The power and fury of Belgium was non-existent until the later stages of the matches. Eden Hazard was oddly quiet and, if it wasn’t for multiple Vincent Kompany clearances, the result could have been much worse for the Red Devils.
Gonzalo Higuain celebrates after his goal in the 8th minute. (Photo:@2014WorldCup |Twitter)
Argentina may have been able to increase their lead, but both Higuaín and Messi couldn’t capitalize on point blank opportunities. Going forward in the tournament they’ll need to take advantage of scoring chances like these. Moreover, if the Albiceleste don’t get Di Maria back, then Messi and Higuain will have to cary the offensive load. Ezequiel Lavezzi was making good runs all day, but the PSG man didn’t really threaten the Belgian goal. Without Sergio Aguero, he’ll have to step up and aid Messi and Higuain.
Next up will be either an anticipated matchup with the Netherlands or with the Cinderella Costa Ricans. The match with the Netherlands would surely be a classic. The up and down style of the Dutch would bring loads of action and speed that should loosen the Argentine offense. If it's a match with the Costa Ricans, you would think it would be an easy victory for the Albiceleste. However, they've proved scappy, elusive and persistent throughout the tournament so far. Messi and company will be back on the pitch July 9th in Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo.
