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Lionel Messi: On target in Argentina's win over Bosnia
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Lionel Messi scored a wonderful goal as Argentina got their
World Cup campaign off to a winning start by overcoming a battling
Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1 at the Maracana.
Argentina went in front in the Group F encounter after just
three minutes thanks to an own goal from Sead Kolasinac, but they struggled to
carve out further chances in an uninspiring first half.
There was a moment to cherish in the second half though, as
Messi doubled Argentina’s lead in the 65th after gliding past a couple of
defenders before finishing exquisitely.
World Cup debutants Bosnia kept fighting and Vedad Ibisevic
reduced their arrears with six minutes remaining to set up a tense finale, but
Argentina held on to take control of Group F.
For the Bosnians, playing in their first major tournament as
an independent nation, there could not have been a much crueller start to their
World Cup debut.
Messi could at least claim the assist, his free-kick from
the left flicked off a head and bounced off Schalke defender Kolasinac's shin
and in.
The stadium clock read 2min 10secs, and the goal was the cue
for Argentina fans to embark on joyous, deafening celebrations that lasted much
of the fairly uneventful first half that followed.
"Maradona is better than Pele," they sang,
taunting the Bosnian-supporting Brazilians who sprinkled the stadium.
They were not singing about Messi at half-time because that
free-kick and one trademark swivelling, snake-hipped run aside, Barcelona's
gentle genius had a pretty dreadful first half, conceding possession too often
and appearing lethargic off the ball.
Bosnia, by contrast, picked themselves up from that early
knock-down and were terrific, unlucky not to equalise through Lazio striker
Senad Lulic's superb header which was well saved low to his left by Monaco
goalkeeper Sergio Romero, while Edin Dzeko clipped a shot over from a promising
position in the 'D'.
A 'rabona' by Angel di Maria lifted Argentinian spirits - it
was cleared to Javier Mascherano, who unleashed a shot from 25 yards and Asmir
Begovic was glad that it was straight at him.
It was perhaps a sign of how well Bosnia had played that
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella made a double substitution at half-time,
changing to a more positive 4-3-3 formation.
The impact was apparent and what had been a dull, defensive
game opened up.
Bosnia were not prepared to settle for a negative part in
that script however, and Izet Hajrovic's free-kick was on target but easily
saved, and the Galatasaray player curled in another effort that was also too
easy for Romero.
Messi appeared to relish the extra support, setting up
Sergio Aguero only for Manchester City striker to slice it embarrassingly high
and wide.
More quick feet after a loose Hajrovic pass saw Messi set up
Aguero again: this time he was on target but Begovic was barely tested.
A free-kick 30 yards from goal was in Messi territory, but
he lofted it too high.
Then came the moment much of the world has been waiting for:
a classic Messi goal, and one that will be replayed again and again.
Picking up the ball with Bosnia players blocking his path,
Messi played a one-two with substitute Gonzalo Higuain and then embarked on one
of those trademark runs across the area, leaving defenders flailing in his wake
before slotting a low shot in off the post.
Bosnia were pole-axed, Aguero came close to piling on the
agony as Messi revelled in the extra space, and himself hit the side-netting.
Ibisevic made it interesting with six minutes left, a canny
run allowing him to clip the ball past Romero. But this was destined to be
Messi's night, and so it proved.
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