Four-time player of the year Messi has been the centre of Argentina’s attack, having hit four of their six goals as the side qualified top of Group F. PHOTO: AFP
SAO PAULO:
Lionel Messi’s goals may have fired Argentina into the World Cup last 16, but they will look for a better all-round performance when they meet Switzerland on Tuesday.
The diminutive four-time player of the year has finally sparked for his country, hitting four of their six goals as Argentina qualified top of Group F.
But Argentina needed Messi’s late winner to overcome Iran 1-0, and they also shipped two goals before beating Nigeria 3-2, lowering expectations of a third world title.
They will face their toughest opponents yet in Switzerland, who put seven goals past group opponents Ecuador, France and Honduras, including three from Xherdan Shaqiri.
“Now we can’t make any mistakes as any error will see us getting knocked out,” warned Messi.
“There is nothing more beautiful than to be world champion, to achieve that with my country.”
Argentina will have to cope with the loss of Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero, who is out with a muscle injury after going off in the first half against Nigeria.
Both Messi and coach Alejandro Sabella acknowledge that Argentina are a work in progress, but they will now hope to raise the heat on their slow-burning campaign.
“We’ve got nine points, but we can always get better,” said Sabella.
And Switzerland know all about Messi, who struck his first international hat-trick in their 3-1 friendly win in Bern in February 2012.
“We’ll prepare ourselves to face Messi, as well as their other players, but of course he has the quality to decide games,” said goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.
“It will be relatively hard to shut him out, but he’s not the only dangerous player in a very good team.”
US plan to go on offensive against Belgium
US coach Jurgen Klinsmann says attack will be the best form of defence when his American underdogs tackle Belgium on Tuesday for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The US confounded all pre-tournament predictions by battling their way out of a daunting Group G, finishing behind Germany but claiming the runners-up spot ahead of Portugal and Ghana.
Klinsmann acknowledged, however, that his team must improve on last Thursday’s 1-0 defeat by the Germans in Recife if they are to provide another shock by eliminating Belgium, regarded by many as tournament dark horses.
“We were too deep, especially the first 20 minutes of the Germany game,” said Klinsmann.
“I was screaming my lungs off there to get the back line out and to move the entire unit higher up the field.
“So we’ll work on that, to shift the entire game forward and through that put more pressure on the opponent and create more chances.”
Klinsmann’s Belgian counterpart, Marc Wilmots, meanwhile, has shrugged off suggestions that his team has so far failed to contribute to the feast of attacking football being laid on at this World Cup.
Three group wins over Algeria, Russia and South Korea were secured with very little flair, but Wilmots is not concerned.
“If you ask whether I’d rather put on a good show and go out at the first stage, or win games 1-0, I prefer to win 1-0,” said Wilmots.
“It’s clear — you have to be a realist and playing to the gallery is not the goal.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2014.
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