Argentina Scrape Past Switzerland

 

by Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (July 1^st 2014)

Late Show

Real Madridʼs Ángel di María Hernández had an awful match by his standards, missing chances and wasting possession several times, yet with just two minutes of extra time remaining he scored the winning goal. Lionel Messi was named man of the match, but did little to justify it. This was a poor match, although Ottmar Hitzfeldʼs tactics canʼt be faulted.

After being mauled by France, Hitzfeld chose to keep things tight and frustrate Messi and co. It almost worked. With less than three minutes of extra time remaining Rodrigo Palacio passed to Messi in the centre. He ran towards the area before slipping it to di María on the right. The Real Madrid man shot across the keeper to break Swiss hearts.

But they almost responded. Ricardo Rodríguez Arayaʼs corner found its way to Bayern Münchenʼs Xherdan Shaqiri on the other wing. Napoliʼs Blerim Džemailiʼs last minute header hit the post with Argentinaʼs keeper Sergio Romero beaten. It rebounded onto Džemailiʼs knee and went wide. Shortly afterwards with the Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio trying to find an equaliser di María tried an audacious effort from just inside his own half. It went just wide.

Poor

The first half had little to recommend it. Di María was repeatedly fouled. The shooting was wayward. Sergio Romero saved with his legs from Granit Xhaka after 25 minutes. Ten minutes later Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson decided that Xhakaʼs awful tackle on Ezequiel Lavezzi deserved a booking – it did.

Argentina lacked final product with di María losing possession almost 40 times in normal time, but Switzerlandʼs Josip Drmić wasted the best opportunity of the 90 minutes chipping a stranded Romero. He made such a hash of his lob that Romero caught easily. The keeper stood rooted in no-manʼs land. Drmić should have scored easily.

Switzerland invited Argentina to break them down – a task that should have been against ten men as two minutes into the second half Xhaka clattered di María. It should have been his second yellow card and therefore a red card, but Eriksson pulled play back to deny the advantage to Argentina without showing a card.

Argentina created chances for substitute Rodrigo Palacio almost as soon as he came on, but he headed wide. Higuaín had another off day. Di María was having a shocking game and Messi despite his skill could not find a way past Diego Benaglio, but for all his trick and a sumptuous volley that just cleared the bar with time running out he found the key to unlock a stubborn Swiss team with penalties looming.

Three minutes into the second half of extra time di María found his range drawing a tip over from Benaglio from his 20 yard effort. Argentina will play far better and lose, but Alejandro Sabella wonʼt care. His team are in the last eight without playing well or Messi scoring. Meanwhile, Hitzfeld has retired.

 

Magnificent France Destroy Switzerland

by Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (June 20^th 2014)

Order Restored?

France made a mockery of the recent FIFA rankings. Ottmar Hitzfeld saw his 6^th ranked Swiss taken apart by Didier Deschampsʼ team ranked eleven below them. 5-0 up with ten minutes to go the French switched off as Switzerland grabbed two late goals and there was still time for shades of Clive Thomas as Karim Benzema scored a stunning goal in the fourth of at least three minutes injury time after being found on the edge of the area by Moussa Sissokho.

Referee Björn Kuipers had already blown the final whistle. It hardly mattered to France who have two wins a goal difference of +6. But Switzerland now have a negative goal difference of -2. They will be watching Ecuador versus Honduras with interest hoping they cancel each other out.

Shell-Shocking

Arsenalʼs Olivier Giroud replaced Juventus midfield starlet Paul Pogba in the starting line-up. He justified Deschampsʼ faith after 17 minutes, rising highest to head Mathieu Valbuenaʼs corner so powerfully that Diego Benaglio could not keep it out despite getting a hand to it. Seconds later it was two as Blaise Matuidi latched onto Karim Benzemaʼs through ball. His shot beat Benaglio at his near post – poor goal-keeping. France were rampant.

It took 27 minutes for the Swiss to penetrate the French defences, but Granit Xhakaʼs strike was rightly disallowed. It almost went from bad to abysmal less than five minutes later. The Ivorian-born former Arsenal man Johan Djourou-Gbadjeri tripped Benzema to concede a penalty. The Real Madrid striker blew the opportunity to open his account for the night as Benaglio saved to his right.

The rebound fell to former Newcastle United midfielder Yoann Cabaye. It was easier to hit the deserted net than miss, but Cabaye managed to hit the cross-bar. The reprieve was short-lived. A quick break released Giroud on the left. His cross to the back post was swept in by Valbuena.

More

France could have settled for what they had, but after weathering an early second half storm led by substitute Blerim Dzemali. France regrouped and after 67 minutes Benzema finally got his goal. He could and possibly should have had a hat-trick. Pogba put him through for Benzema to put it through Benaglioʼs legs to score.

Six minutes later Swiss captain Gökhan Inler gave possession away, resulting in a quick break. Benzema delivered to Sissokho at the back post. Newcastle Unitedʼs midfielder completed the scoring for les Bleus. A small degree of Swiss honour was restored thanks to dreadful defending at a free kick especially by Benzema.

Dzemaliʼs free-kick went through the French wall to beat Lloris at his right-hand post. With three minutes of normal time remaining Inler set Xhaka up at the back post to beat Lloris once again to boost Switzerlandʼs battered goal difference. Benzemaʼs late strike didnʼt count. It remains to be seen how important that turns out to be.