Argentina labour to 1-0 win over Iran to advance to last 16

            It took a second half  injury time strike from Lionel Messi to see off a valiant Iranian team which looked like it would secure a point against the former two-time champions. Argentina and Iran squared off in Belo Horizonte today 21/06/2014 in their second Group F fixture. A win for the Argentines would have almost certainly guaranteed progression to the knockout stages. The Iranians on the other hand just needed to avoid defeat to give themselves at least a fighting chance of a least coming out the group. Naturally it was Argentina who started as the favorites. In the 4^th minute though, Iran had a chance to take an early lead but Hosseini’s effort just missed the target. Soon enough though it would be the South Americans dominating the possession but the Iranian defense held firm. In the 17^th minute Iran won a corner but it was quickly cleared away by the Argentine defense.  Di Maria then had a chance to give Argentina the lead in the 19^th minute but his effort was too high. In the 22^nd minute another good Argentine build up was foiled when Haghighi in the Iranian goal Aguero’s shot. In the 24^th minute Argentina won a corner but the ensuing header from Rojo was off target and the score remained goalless. Di Maria then had another chance for Argentina but the opportunity was again squandered.  Argentina soon won a free kick after a foul on Messi by Teymourian in the Iranian half. The Argentine star player would fire his shot over the bar though and the Asian team survived.

              Another Argentine chance would go a begging after a header from Garay from a Messi free kick would go high and wide. 0-0 the score remained.  In the 41^st minute Iran had a chance from a free kick after a foul from Zabaleta but the opportunity was wasted as the Argentina defense cleared it out for a corner. Hosseini’s ensuing header was wasted though, and the Iranian effort went a begging. Just before halftime Argentina would win another corner but Fernandez’s effort went off target. At the break the score line would read 0-0. At the resumption the Argentines won an early corner but the opportunity was wasted. Then in the 53^rd minute a brilliant counter attack from Iran produced a threatening header from Ghoochannejhad but Romero in the Argentina goal was equal to the task. In the 53^rd Nekounam of Iran became the first player booked for a foul. In the 60^th minute a promising run from Messi just missed the target and another Argentine opportunity went a begging. Haji Safi of Iran had a deflected shot cause Romero in the Argentine goal some problems but the custodian saw it out for another Iran corner. The effort was repelled though, and the Argentines breathed a sigh of relief.

               Another threatening attack from the Asians forced Romero into making a crucial save. The ensuing corner wasted however and the South Americans survived once more. Argentina then won a free kick after Masoud brought down Di Maria. The Iranian player would draw a yellow card for that challenge. Messi would then waste the given free kick and the score line remained the same. Iran then made a substitution as Heydari replaced Masoud in the 77^th minute and the Argentines followed suit by replacing Aguero with Lavezzi and Palacio with Higuain in the 76^th. In the 81^st minute Argentina would get another corner but the ensuing shot from Rojo was off target. Iran then got a free kick in the 83^rd minute after a foul but again the effort was wasted.In the 85^th Iran made another substitution as Alireza replaced Dejagah. Soon though, a promising break from Ghoochannejhad of Iran forced Romero to make a brilliant save in the 86^th minute.

                Iran would then make another switch in the 88^th as Haji Safi was replaced by Haghighi. Then in the 91^st minute came a moment of brilliance from Messi as a great piece of individual skill from the Argentine captain enabled him to curl his shot beyond the Iranian defenders and past the goalkeeper to give his team the lead. 1-0 Argentina. The goal would come at a crucial time for the South Americans as there was little time on the clock for the Iranians to mount a comeback and that was the way the score stayed at the end of the final whistle.