Final Scoreline for Match 55 (Round of 16 #7):
ARGENTINA - 1
(Di Maria 118')
SWITZERLAND - 0
Either the heavyweights are really playing ultra-safe soccer or have seriously gone off the boil, or the lesser teams have really, really upped the game. Hats off to the Swiss for holding out till almost Penalty Shootout time, and it was again absolute heartbreak for yet another team after playing their heart out for the entire duration of the match.
The Swiss attacked and were clearly the aggressor team all through the first half, and although Argentina turned real deadly in the second half, they were denied goals by some expert goal-keeping by the Swiss keeper. Messi, Di Maria and company were relentless, but the Swiss defense + keeper held on strongly. Full time ended 0-0, and Extra Time was almost over, when a sudden burst of Lionel Messi magic had the Swiss defense beaten, and his perfect cross to Di Maria saw the latter neatly evade the keeper and slot the ball home.
1-0, with 2 minutes + injury time remaining. A moment which Di Maria would savor his entire life, and which caused such a shattering sound of Swiss hearts collectively breaking that you could almost hear it.
Argentina win, and move into the Round of 8. Deservedly? Maybe. Impressive? Nope.