WORLD CUP: Messi sends Iran packing
points as Argentina beat a resilient Iran side
1-0 in their World Cup Group F clash to qualify
for the last 16.
Carlos Queiroz’s side looked to have gained a
valuable draw and had opportunities to steal a
win themselves, notably through a couple of
Reza Ghoochannejhad efforts in the second
half.
Argentina dominated the majority of the game
but their star frontline of Messi, Angel Di
Maria, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain
lacked their usual cutting edge in the final
third.
But, when it looked like Iran had grabbed a
remarkable point, Barcelona's Messi curled in
a trademark effort past a sprawling Alireza
Haghighi to guarantee Argentina’s place in the
last 16.
Iran had the first chance of the game when
Fulham’s Ashkan Dejagah whipped in a
superb free-kick onto the head of an
unchallenged Jalal Hosseini, who glanced his
header wide of Sergio Romero’s goal after just
four minutes.
Argentina’s first major opportunity came when
Fernando Gago slipped the ball through to an
onrushing Higuain, but the Napoli striker hit it
straight at goalkeeper Haghighi from six yards
out.
Alejandro Sabella’s side continued their
pressure but were denied by Haghighi once
again when Aguero’s goal-bound effort was
palmed away by the Rubin Kazan stopper.
Iran spent most of the first half camped in their
own half and were seemingly delaying the
inevitable, with Marcos Rojo spurning another
Argentine chance after heading wide from six
yards.
Continuing to dominate possession, Messi
dinked a free-kick towards Federico
Fernandez, but it was taken off his head by
team-mate Ezequiel Garay who headed it high
over the bar.
With just five minutes remaining in the first
half, Dejagah’s corner found Hosseini once
again and the right-back, who had more shots
than he made passes in the first half, was
agonisingly close to giving his side a shock
lead after heading over the bar.
Queiroz’s side came into the game as 25/1
outsiders, but went into the half-time break
with a clean sheet still remarkably intact.
After the restart, Argentina unsurprisingly
continued their onslaught on the Iranian
backline and, after Messi fed through Pablo
Zabaleta, the right-back scooped his effort
high and wide of Haghighi’s goal.
Iran then broke on the counter with Pejman
Montazeri, who delivered a wonderful ball into
the area which was met by Ghoochannejhad,
who had broken free of his marker, but the
Charlton Athletic striker’s header was stopped
comfortably by Romero.
The Middle Eastern side then had a huge
shout for a penalty after Dejagah was brought
down in the area by Zabaleta, but referee
Milorad Mazic ruled that the Manchester City
man had got a touch on the ball.
Having spent a large majority of the game
absorbing pressure, Iran’s confidence grew as
Argentina’s nerves began to show, with Garay
almost diverting an Iranian cross into his own
net.
Moments later, Montazeri delivered a
sumptuous cross into the heart of the
Argentine area and Dejagah’s looping, goal-
bound header was magnificently tipped over
by Romero to spare Sabella’s blushes.
Argentina’s frustrations grew as Messi’s 20-
yard free-kick crashed into the side-netting,
while Di Maria drilled a close-range shot
straight into the grasp of Haghighi.
But, in stoppage time, Messi was given room
to manoeuvre and cut in from the right-hand
side before curling an unstoppable effort into
the far corner to break Iranian hearts, and
send the droves of Argentinian fans into delirium.
Comments
Post a Comment