Argentina beat Swiss 1-0 and into World Cup last eight
SAO PAULO, July 1, 2014 (AFP) — Four-time world footballer of the year Lionel Messi set up Angel di Maria for the only goal two minutes from the end of extra-time as Argentina reached the World Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Switzerland in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.
Argentina — who won the last of their two World Cups in 1986 — will play the winner of Tuesday’s late match between Belgium and the United States.
The Swiss — whose defeat brings to an end the glittering career of coach Ottmar Hitzfeld — had a glorious chance to level right at the end of extra-time as substitute Blerim Dzemaili produced a great header but it came back off the base of the post and he sent the rebound wide.
Result of World Cup last 16 match between Argentina and Switzerland in Sao Paulo on Tuesday (aet — after extra-time):
Argentina 1 (Di Maria 118) Switzerland 0 — aet
Teams
Argentina: Sergio Romero – Pablo Zabaleta, Federico Fernandez, Ezequiel Garay, Marcos Rojo (José Basanta 105+1) – Fernando Gago (Lucas Biglia 106), Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria – Ezequiel Lavezzi (Rodrigo Palacio 74), Lionel Messi (capt), Gonzalo Higuain
Yellow cards: Marcos Rojo (90), Angel Di Maria (120), Ezequiel Garay (120+4)
Switzerland: Diego Benaglio – Stephan Lichtsteiner, Fabian Schaer, Johan Djourou, Ricardo Rodriguez – Granit Xhaka (Gelson 66), Valon Behrami, Xherdan Shaqiri, Gokhan Inler (capt), Admir Mehmedi (Blerim Dzemaili 113) – Josip Drmic (Haris Seferovic 82)
Yellow cards: Granit Xhaka (36), Gelson (73)
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (SWE)
