Managers
Alejandro Sabella (Argentina)
Ottmar Hitzfeld(Switzerland)
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head- Argentina are unbeaten in their six previous games against Switzerland (W4, D2).
- The most recent encounter was a friendly in Bern in February 2012 which the Argentines won 3-1 thanks to a Lionel Messi hat-trick.
- The only previous World Cup meeting came in the group stage of the 1966 tournament. Argentina won 2-0 in a game staged at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.
- La Albiceleste have been eliminated in just one of their six previous matches at the last-16 stage. That was their 3-2 defeat by Romania in 1994.
- Lionel Messi has scored 24 times in his last 23 games for Argentina.
- Messi can become the first Argentine to score in four successive World Cup matches since Guillermo Stabile at the inaugural tournament in 1930.
- Argentina are unbeaten in the last 24 games in which Messi has featured (W17, D7).
- Their 3-2 win against Nigeria on 25 June was the first World Cup match in which both teams scored in the opening five minutes.
- It was also just the third game in which both teams scored in the first five minutes of the second half.
- All 11 of Switzerland's previous World Cup wins have come in the opening round. They have never won a match at a later stage of the tournament.
- However, because the format used in earlier tournaments was different, they have twice won knockout matches in the first round - eliminating Germany in 1938 and Italy in 1954.
- The Swiss reached the quarter-finals in three of the first five World Cups. Since then they have advanced to the last 16 twice, failing to score on both occasions - a 3-0 defeat to Spain in 1994 and 0-0 draw with Ukraine in 2006 (followed by defeat on penalties).
- They have only lost two of their last 21 matches (W14, D5).
- Xherdan Shaqiri scored the first left-footed hat-trick in World Cup history in the 3-0 win against Honduras. It was also the 50th hat-trick at a World Cup.
Goal Scorer -Angel di Maria(118)
- Angel Di Maria nets dramatic winner in extra-time to give Argentina victory
- Lionel Messi provided the superb assist that set up the goal
- Game had finished goalless after normal time before the late strike
- Argentina progress through to the QF's
Match facts |
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|---|---|
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Argentina have been on the winning side in six of their seven World Cup games that have gone to extra time. |
Switzerland's last shot on target in this match came in the 50th minute. |
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Di Maria's 118th-minute goal was the latest scored by Argentina at the World Cup. |
Switzerland have failed to score in their last three World Cup knockout matches, last scoring in one in 1954. |
Match statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Argentina |
Switzerland |
|
|
1 |
Goals |
0 |
|
8 |
Shots on target |
4 |
|
9 |
Shots off target |
8 |
|
12 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
|
13 |
Corners |
5 |
|
18 |
Fouls |
29 |
|
64 |
Possession % |
37 |
Angel di Maria scored a dramatic late winner to break Swiss hearts and send Argentina through to the quarter-finals.
But with just a few minutes to go, Lionel Messi picked up the ball and ran towards goal, before squaring to Di Maria to superbly finish past a helpless Diego Benaglio in the Switzerland goal.
The game, which was dismal on the most part, had finished goalless after normal time, and seemed as though it was destined for penalties.
Swiss Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld (left) and Argentina Coach Alejandro Sabella watching the action
Argentina fans celebrate following Angel Di Maria's goal
Argentina players celebrate whilst Swiss players fall to the floor following full time
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