*Argentine down Belgium to make it to Semis
At the end the National Satdium in Brasilia resounded with the sounds of the 20,000 Argentine fans goading their hosts with a chant to the tune of Bad Moon Rising as they waved their shirts above their head.
It is a long and involved song, explaining how the Brazilians have been crying ever since Claudio Caniggia scored against them in 1990 and how Diego Maradona is better than Pele.
‘How does it feel?’ they sang ‘to be bossed about in your own backyard.’ It has become the anthem of this World Cup, heard everywhere Argentines gather, which is pretty much everywhere. And it feels particularly appropriate at the moment. Argentina have a rag-tag army of fans, sleeping in cars and colonising cities and stadia as they journey around this country.
But they are led by the World Cup’s last superstar, Leo Messi, and they look increasingly as though they are heading for the Maracana next Sunday afternoon. Brazil might meet them there, but they are shorn of Neymar and an awful realisation is dawning on the hosts: a new nightmare of the Maracana might be looming, with Argentina beating them in their very own final. And that would surely be worse than the original nightmare, the Maracanazo, when Uruguay beat them in 1950.
Messi undid Belgium with an inspired first half performance.
Belgium, whilst more direct and physical than inspirational, never allowed them the comfort of running away with the game and right to the end when Romelu Lukaku drove in a cross and Axel Witsel shot over, they made it a nervous affair. Yet Argentina are in their first World Cup semi-final since 1990 and coming into form. Principally, one man looks ready to make this World Cup his own.
There was a moment 28 minutes into the first half when Lionel Messi picked up the ball in his own half and spotted a way through a forest of midfielders and, by applying the correct weight and speed to the pass, managed to cut the ball inside Vincent Kompany a full 45 yards away and find Angel Di Maria.
As it happened, Kompany recovered brilliantly to block the shot but you had to pity the Manchester City captain. The angle and accuracy of the pass was unimaginable for a normal international footballer. Kompany was being asked to cope with something outside the usual range of a footballer’s ability.
Then there was the moment on 38 minutes when a strongly-weighted pass simply stuck to Messi’s chest and fell to his feet on the edge of the area.
Panicking, Axel Witsel attempted to foul him and failed. So Marouane Fellaini had three further goes before he and Daniel van Buyten eventually brought him down. The free kick, from Messi of course, was a yard over Thibaut Courtois’ near post.
At times Messi, dropping deep into midfield when necessary, seemed almost to be goading the Belgians into tackling him, lingering on the ball and turning away at the last moment.
Perhaps he wished to recreate that famous image of Diego Maradona and six Belgian defenders closing him down from the 1982 World Cup? Fellaini was the man who admirably did his utmost to close Messi down; as such he was most often the man being made to look a little foolish.
The match was only eight minutes old when Messi made his imapct, turning away from one challenge only to find Fellaini pressing him. Shielding the ball, he simply turned in the opposite direction, created the space and played in Di Maria.
The winger’s cross deflected off a defender and sat up nicely on the half voley for Gozanlo Higuain, the striker who has endured a torrent of criticism in his home country for his performances thus far. This time though he connected beautifully, sweeping it into the far corner from 20 yards out. Courtois never had a chance.
Higuain was playing well, Di maria, though he would go off mid way through the half injured, was lively and the introduction of Luca Biglia into midfield had combined to bring Argentina’s best spell of football thus far in Brazil. That, and the performance of their captain.
It was to their credit that Belgium did not entirely submit. They edged their way back into the game. They even created good chances. Kevin De Bruyne’s powerful strike was parried away by Sergio Romero and Kevin Mirallas headed just wide from an excellent Jan Vertonghen cross. But Argentina remained largely in control.
Argentina started the second half as though intent on making their superiority count. On 52 minutes Gonzalo Higuain cut back inside the box, demonstrating speed and strength that has thus far eluded him during his World Cup performances, and unleashed a shot which was deflected wide by Daniel van Buyten.
Belgium were vulnerable and Eden Hazard was lucky to stay on the pitch when he raised his studs on to the shin of Lucas Biglia on 53 minutes. Nicola Rizzoli, the Italian referee, decided on yellow.
Yet Argentina had a chance to take complete control of the game on 55 minutes. Higuain, seemingly that yard fitter and sharper, raced on to a ball and simply pushed it through the legs of Kompany to create a clear strike on goal. He lifted his shot over Courtois but it just hit the cross bar and bounced over.
Marc Wilmots, the Belgium coach, had to change something to extract some control back. On came Romelu Lukaku for Divock Origi, who had made little impact. Kevin Mirallas, also substituted for Dries Mertens, kicked the ground in frustration as he walked off. But they remained competitive, Argentina never truly able to relax. Vertonghen, consistently their best outlet, crossed superbly once again on 61 minutes and Felliani rose well but headed juts over.
Hazard went to a central position, to a genuine No.10 role but would soon give way to Nacer Chadli having disappointed and eventually Fellaini would join Lukaku up front as Belgium looked to the long ball. Belgium look more English than England these days.