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Argentina national football team
World Cup | Round of 16
Jul 1, 2014 at 5pm UK
 
Switzerland national football team

1-0

Di Maria (118')
FT
(aet)

Angel di Maria scores 118th-minute winner as Argentina sink Switzerland

Angel di Maria strikes the only goal for Argentina in the 118th minute as Switzerland are cruelly knocked out of the World Cup in Sao Paulo.

Angel di Maria struck the one and only goal for Argentina in the 118th minute as Switzerland were cruelly knocked out of the World Cup in Sao Paulo this afternoon.

Argentina's Angel di Maria celebrates his late winner against Switzerland in their World Cup round of 16 match in Sao Paulo on July 1, 2014© Getty Images

There were very few chances in the early stages as Switzerland upset Argentina's tempo with a number of fouls.

The Swiss had the first clear-cut opening against the run of play in the 27th minute when Xherdan Shaqiri tricked his way down the byline and squared for Granit Xhaka, whose low shot was kept out by Sergio Romero.

Ottmar Hitzfeld's side finished the first half on top and had a golden opportunity to take a shock lead when Shaqiri floated into the path of Josip Drmic.

Romero hesitated and was out of position, but Drmic let him off with a half-hearted chip that was easy for the Argentine keeper to clutch.

Argentina's forward Gonzalo Higuain reacts between Switzerland's defender Fabian Schaer and Switzerland's defender Johan Djourou during the second half of a Round of 16 football match between Argentina and Switzerland at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo dur© Getty Images

Argentina's first decent effort came just after the hour mark when Marcos Rojo crossed for Gonzalo Higuain, whose header was tipped over the bar by Diego Benaglio.

Five minutes later Lionel Messi had his first shot of the game, dipping a volley inches over the crossbar.

The Barcelona superstar began to have more opportunities as the 90-minute mark approached and came close to breaking the deadlock with a low shot that Benaglio just about kept out.

Switzerland's goalkeeper Diego Benaglio defends his goal during the second half of a Round of 16 football match between Argentina and Switzerland at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 1, 2014© Getty Images

In extra time there were few chances for either side, with Di Maria drawing an acrobatic save out of Benaglio before he won the match with two minutes remaining.

Messi drove forward and slid the ball into his path and the Real Madrid men swept home low across goal into the far corner.

Switzerland still had a great opening to send the match into a penalty shootout, but Blerim Dzemaili headed against the post from inside the six-yard box.

Next up for Argentina in the quarter-finals will be a match against either Belgium or the USA, who face off in Salvador later this evening.

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Ezequiel Lavezzi of Argentina is challenged during the World Cup round of 16 match against Switzerland in Sao Paulo on July 1, 2014
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Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

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Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

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Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

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Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

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Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

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Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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