Lionel Messi Cannot Be Stuttering Argentina’s Only World Cup Plan B

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 21, 2014

commentComment        

Watching the game at home in Villa Crespo, Buenos Aires, there seemed to be a slight confusion as Argentina's desperately tight clash with Iran moved into injury time deadlocked at 0-0. The screen showed Lionel Messi slowly advancing on the implacable red defence, a sea of shirts ready to once more frustrate the Barcelona star. 

The neighbourhood, however, was already exploding in screams of delight. A small lag in transmission had only delayed the inevitable for a fraction of a second, as a brilliant curling shot eluded Alireza Haghighi's desperate dive, nestling in the corner of the net and giving Leo his second goal of the 2014 World Cup. 



Once more, Messi's individual brilliance had pulled Argentina out of their footballing malaise. Over in Belo Horizonte, thousands of supporters decked in the Albiceleste refused to leave the stadium. It was almost as if those present had to take in every moment at the Mineirao. Leaving now, one felt, the incredible end to a mediocre match for Alejandro Sabella's men would be mere fiction, a dream conclusion to a starkly disappointing 90 minutes. 

"Having Messi, anything is possible," the coach told pitchside reporters from TyC Sports after the ecstasy of his captain's strike. But the hour and a half that preceded La Pulga's magic did not make happy watching for a nation desperate for glory in Brazil. 

Argentina's starting tactics depend on two key factors: the brilliant talents of Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria to fire a 4-3-3 setup that leans heavily on the counter; the other, the willingness of the opponent to push forward and leave holes to be exploited. 

But Iran, coached by the resolute Carlos Queiroz, were not prepared to play to the Albiceleste's whims. The Middle Eastern nation set out their stall from the beginning, defending with up to eight or nine men in and around the box. The message was...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

Latest News


Comments

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!