kmhouseindia: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Match 27 Group F Argentina Vs Iran Saturday June 21,2014

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Argentina Vs Iran at Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte

Managers
Alejandro Sabella(Argentian)

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

The only previous meeting was a 1-1 draw in 1977. That match was held at the Bernabeu as part of a friendly tournament to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of Real Madrid.

Argentina

Argentina have won won 10 of their last 13 World Cup group games (D2, L1), scoring 26 goals and conceding just five times. Their only defeat in that sequence was against England in 2002.
Lionel Messi has scored 21 goals in his last 21 appearances for Argentina.
They have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last three World Cup matches, conceding six goals in total.

Iran

Saturday will be 16 years to the day since Iran earned their only World Cup victory by beating the USA 2-1 in Lyon. That is their only win in 10 matches at the tournament (D3, L6).
They recorded their first World Cup clean sheet against Nigeria.
Their only previous World Cup game against a South American side was a 4-1 defeat against Peru in 1978.
Five of the last nine goals Iran have conceded at World Cups have been headers.
The last two goals Iran have scored at World Cups have come from corners (both in 2006).

Argentina have won 11 and lost just one of their past 14 World Cup group games, scoring 27 goals and conceding just five in total in this run.
Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in his last seven appearances for Argentina
Lionel Messi has now scored 40 goals for Argentina. Javier Mascherano and Fernando Gago provided a solid base for Angel Di Maria and full-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Marcos Rojo to support Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero. Argentina were meeting a wall of resistance every time they attacked but Iran's impressive defending ought to have been no surprise - they kept more clean sheets in qualifying than any team at the tournament.