World Cup 2014 Brazil » Group F » Live commentary: Argentina - Iran 1:0

Endgame Summary:
How exciting can a 1:0 be? The Argentines lost their track completely until the Barcelona super star Messi buried his last effort in world class type of shooting. Before, the guys from the pampa could not fulfill the high expectations, Romero was the best Gaucho in a disappointing Albiceleste. Iran was standing extremely firm at the back though being pinned to their own area during the first 45 minutes. This changed in an extreme way in half two. Dejagah and Ghoochannejhad had amazing opportunities to shoot their team up front. But in the end there was nothing to harvest for Iran. We feel really sorry, the Persians would have deserved at least one point. But Messi obviously plays for Argentina.

Goooal for Argentina, 1:0 by Lionel Messi
That's the elite class of the world! Messi is El Rey de Reyes - the king of kings! Throughout 90 minutes almost invisible Messi receives the ball on the right side. A short dribbling makes the necessary space to try his luck. And his shot smashes into the left top corner.

A delightful counter attack finds Ghoochannejhad. Zabaleta disturbs his finishing but the shot is great enough to demands everything from Romero. The goalkeeper is again the guy to save his team and skillfully keeps a clean sheet.

Rojo tackles Ghoochannejhad on the right. Hence, Iran gts the next possibility to score. But not like this! The cross almost ranges to outer space.

Both teams change their tired - and ineffective - forces. Agüero and Higuaín have to leave such as Shojaei. Lavezzi, Palacio and Heydari, respectively enter the pitch.

Masoud Shojaei (Iran) is shown a yellow card
Shojaei is booked while coming to late into his challenge against di Maria.

Dejagah almost with the 1:0 for Iran! It's amazing to see that Iran is conquering more and more of the whole game. A long cross finds the Fulham striker who makes a tremendous van Persie-like header. But Romero saves the draw with all his power and finger tips.

Argentina has more possession but clearly fails to increase the pacement, to create chances, and to widen the game. Desperate shots from long distance become numerous, Messi in this situation can't direct his effort to the goal either.

Javad Nekounam (Iran) is shown a yellow card

Zabaleta dribbles on the right side of the box and gets some space to finish his move. But he smashes his shot high and wide from long range.

Let's get it started again!

Halftime Summary:
It's a big surprise that Iran can handle all Argentine efforts in a smart way. Queiroz gave his players an impressive instructions manual to prevent scoring against them. This discipline makes the Albi-Celeste more desperate and idealess from minute to minute. During the last twenty minutes Messi and his people were only able to produce dangerous situations after free kicks and corners, nice moves and attacks were scarce goods. Also Iran was not able to create situations out of the game. Therefore, the draw at zero is justified.

Last chance for Argentina represented - guys what! - by a corner! But the cross is too high, the header too. It's always the same: corner follows free kick, free kick follows corner. No linked attacking moves on both sides are witnessed. But not even the standard situations are fruitful.

Despite the great strategic defensive line up, the Iranians once in possession of the ball do not have a clue what to do with it.

Free kick for Argentina! Of course, Messi grabs the ball to try his luck. Hi aims well but just not well enough. But it is no threat for the goal.

If nothing good develops out of the game, free kicks and corners are about to bring salvation. In this sense, Di Maria crosses the corner to the middle of the box. Rojo has a big opportunity smashing the header onto the goal. Only some centimeters are missing. What a pity for Sabella's guys who are getting closer and closer to their target.

There is not much going on anymore, Argentina is unable to overcome the attentive defenders. Queiroz made a great job directing his team to stand firm.

First great chance for Argentina! Gago drives a great pass from the right side towards Higuaín. He reaches the ball but Haghighi is faster and catches the ball.

Di Maria dribbles them all away and centres a cross from the left. It is aimed for Higuaí­n. But the Napoli striker can't reach the ball. Slightly too high.

It's good to see that both teams do not lean back and do not sit too deep. Attacking moves - or at least the attempt - are visible on both sides. But still, both defensive lines stand firm at the back.

And the first chance it on the Iranian's side! A free kick from the left is brought to the center where Jalal Hosseini heads it towards the goal. But this one was still toounprecise!

...and it's on! Argentina in their traditional light blue-white shirts, Iran wears pure red.

Another promising free kick! Messi centres it onto the second post. Benfica's Garay jumps highest but heads the ball above the cross bar. Those few opportunities are to be buried. Iran is preventing all efforts out of the game.

Iran’s best known players are Fulhams Ashkan Dejagah whose employer is the recently relegated FC Fulham and Charlton Athletic's Reza Ghoochannejhad. According to Queiroz’ plan, the first should provide the latter with precise crosses from the right wing. When attacking over the central pitch, Masoud Shojaei from UD Las Palmas plays the crucial role to slip the passes through the loop holes of the Argentinian back line.

At the team camp of the Gauchos, the strategic outline of Sabella’s squad was more debated than the Persian team itself. Messi was disappointed about the restricted role he had to play against Bosnia. "We are Argentina and I think we need to concentrate on ourselves without fixating on who we are playing. We feel more comfortable with two up front and me behind because it makes it easier to counter-attack and, because we have more people in attack, we have more possibilities.", Messi calls for more courage to attack and pin back the other team – whoever it may be – to their own area.

On the other side, Iran formed part of one of the worst games of the tournament until this very moment. The competition against Nigeria was really nothing to romanticise. Nevertheless, Iran's controversial president Rahouni himself expressed his happiness about the draw being “proud of our boys who secured the first of hopefully many points”, which before the background of the bad game says quite a lot about the expectations in Iran about the performance of their national selection in Brazil.