Strikers first half goal was enough to take his team through to semifinal
Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain, right, celebrates with Angel di Maria after he scored the opening goal during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Argentina and Belgium (Photo: AP)
Brasilia: Gonzalo Higuain's goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Belgium and a place in their first World Cup semi-finals since 1990 on Saturday. Argentina who last won the trophy in 1986will play the winner of Saturday's second semi-final between the Netherlands and Costa Rica in Sao Paulo next Wednesday. Higuain hit a superb volley in the eighth minute after Belgium failed to close him down in a move that started in the centre circle.
Higuain's opening goal against Belgium
The only black mark for Argentina was an injury to influential midfielder Angel Di Maria that forced him off in the first half and may yet deny him a chance to play in the semi-final.Hours after Neymar was ruled out of the tournament due to injury and James Rodriguez was eliminated with Colombia, Lionel Messi gave further evidence to suggest the World Cup may yet belong to him.
He illuminated Argentina's play with his trickery and incisive passing and although he failed to score, Higuain's goal was enough to see off Belgium's 'golden generation', for whom the occasion proved a step too far. A symbol of Belgium's travails, star player Eden Hazard was booked for a crude challenge on Lucas Biglia and then replaced by Nacer Chadli with 15 minutes remaining.
Showing three changes to the team that had laboured to beat Switzerland in the last 16 Jose Maria Basanta, Martin Demichelis and Biglia coming in Argentina were quick to put Belgium on the back foot.Messi was at the forefront, freeing Ezequiel Lavezzi for a low cross that Vincent Kompany hacked clear and then playing a central role in Argentina's opener with a pirouette and pass to Di Maria.
Di Maria's subsequent pass was intended for the overlapping Pablo Zabaleta, but it flicked off Jan Vertonghen's right foot and into the path of Higuain, who lashed in his first goal of the tournament.Messi then produced a cleverly weighted pass to Di Maria, who shifted the ball onto his left foot, only for Kompany to block.Though seemingly anodyne, it was a moment that could have lasting repercussions for Argentina.Di Maria injured himself while shooting and had to trudge off in the 33rd minute, with Benfica's Enzo Perez coming on.
Belgium seemed slightly inhibited, but after Kevin De Bruyne saw a 25-yard shot boxed away by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero, Kevin Mirallas headed narrowly wide from a Vertonghen cross.Belgium coach Marc Wilmots pushed Marouane Fellaini further forward in the second half, but Argentina continued to threaten. Higuain twice came close to claiming a second goal, first seeing a shot deflected wide by Daniel Van Buyten and then neatly nutmegging Kompany, only for his shot to clip the bar.
Wilmots reacted by introducing Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens, before hooking the ineffective Hazard.Belgium began to apply pressure, with Fellaini heading a Vertonghen cross over the bar and De Bruyne having a shot deflected wide. Messi should have made it 2-0 on the counter-attack in stoppage time, only for Thibaut Courtois to rush out and save, but Argentina held on nonetheless to join Germany and eternal rivals Brazil in the last four.
Here is the look back at Mexico 1986 where Argentina and Belgium met in the semi-finals of that tournament
Teams
Belgium : Courtois, Alderweireld, Kompany (c), Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Fellaini, Hazard, Mirallas, Van Buyten, Origi
Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Di Maria, Higuain, Messi (c), Mascherano, Demichelis, Lavezzi, Basanta
( Source : AFP )
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