Messi hails team effort

RIO DE JANEIRO. — Argentina’s Lionel Messi picked up his fourth man-of-the-match award in a row against Switzerland on Tuesday, but he admitted the prize was barely deserved in a World Cup last-16 game marked more by collective effort than individual brilliance.
“I don’t know whether I deserved this one or not, but what is important is that we move on to the next stage which is what we wanted,” Messi told reporters after team’s 1-0 extra-time win.

“It was not an easy match and it’s been that way throughout the World Cup. What is important is that we won.”

Messi said he feared Argentina would be knocked out of the World Cup before he set up Angel Di Maria’s late extra-time winner against Switzerland.

Di Maria fired in Messi’s pass to clinch a 1-0 win, ending stubborn Swiss resistance and setting up a quarter-final tie against Belgium.

“I was nervous towards the end because we couldn’t score and any mistake could have knocked us out,” said Messi (27).

“The minutes were passing and we didn’t want the match to go to penalties.”

Two-time champions Argentina dominated possession in Tuesday’s last-16 tie against the Swiss but were unable to break through until Di Maria converted in the 118th-minute.

“We were suffering but had a special play,” added Argentina captain Messi, Barcelona’s four-time World Player of the Year.

Switzerland defender Blerim Dzemaili headed against the Argentina post then prodded wide after Di Maria’s strike.

But Real Madrid winger Di Maria said victory was “more than deserved”.

“It wasn’t me, the heroes are 23 players and the technical staff,” the 26-year-old added. “We gave our lives, our souls.”

Argentina attempted 29 shots over the 120 minutes, while the Swiss did not manage an effort on target after the 50th minute.

But Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side created the best chances of the first half.

Argentina keeper Sergio Romero saved in quick succession from Granit Xhaka and Stephan Lichtsteiner, before denying Josip Drmic shortly after.

“It was a game that we deserved to win in 90 minutes,” said Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella.

“It was even during a first half in which they had two clear chances to score, but in the second half we were clearly superior. We had five or six shots at goal and, in extra-time, we also had more chances.”

Defeat marked the end of Hitzfeld’s 31-year managerial career.

The 65-year-old German is a two-time World Coach of the Year who won 19 major club trophies for Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Grasshoppers, before taking charge of the Swiss national team in 2008.

“I have a quiet life in front of me,” he said.

“I was very fortunate to coach some marvellous clubs and the Swiss national team. It has been a great honour and I am proud to say goodbye to the Swiss team with my heart full of emotions.”

Messi was effectively shackled by a superb Swiss defence and had few chances to show the kind of form that won him four world player of the year awards in a row between 2009 and 2012.

But when he did get a chance to run, his contribution was decisive. With two minutes remaining in extra-time he laid the ball off for winger Angel Di Maria to stroke the winner past Diego Benaglio.

“During that special play, a little bit of everything went through my head,” said a smiling Messi.

“I thought maybe I should take a chance, then I saw Angel over there and I decided to pass the chance to him and fortunately we are able to celebrate.”

Messi won man-of-the-match awards in Argentina’s three group games against Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria and scored four of Argentina’s six goals.

But he admitted the Swiss gave him and his teammates a scare at the Corinthians arena.

“I was nervous at times just like anyone else because we couldn’t score a goal and any mistake could have put us out, minutes were going by and we didn’t want penalties,” he said.

“We wanted to define the game in extra-time.”

When asked how he felt with the clock running down, he replied: “Suffering, suffering, that’s what we felt.

“We know will go through times like this. That’s football. We had luck on our side and we have to take advantage of it and to move on.

“We know that all matches will be on equal footing. You win the match because of minor details. It’s a World Cup and when you are here you don’t have an easy opponent.”

Argentina face Belgium in the quarter-finals. — Soccernet.