Nigeria v Argentina - Marcos Rojo’s late goal seals Argentina’s World Cup progress against Nigeria - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Match 39

And so, when it came to it, when it seemed all was lost, Argentina’s hero appeared. His name, this time, was Marcos Rojo. With the Albiceleste on the verge of elimination, the scene before them horribly familiar, songs dying in thousands of throats and the final three minutes beginning, the Manchester United defender arrived to guide a wonderful volley into the corner and send them through to the last 16. Their progress comes at the cost of a Nigeria side who had come from a goal down to make it 1-1 and might have won, missing chances and appealing for a penalty. Instead, at the last, there was life for Argentina, 

delirious celebration, players in tears.\Jorge Sampaoli once said that the World Cup is a revolver h

eld against Lionel Messi’s head. Russian roulette is a game that must eventually end badly, but Argentina had hoped it would last longer than it looked like it was going to here. Javier Mascherano was the man who seemed to have pulled the trigger until Rojo rescued them. Messi had brilliantly given Argentina the lead but a penalty gifted Nigeria an equaliser, left them on the edge of elimination. For once, though, there was joy, relief – and it was not Messi who delivered it.

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Not only Messi, anyway. In the defeat against Croatia, Messi had only 49 touches. Here, he had almost surpassed that by half-time and two of them were especially sublime, creating a moment that will live in the memory almost as long as Rojo’s. Éver Banega sent a gorgeous pass from the halfway line to the edge of the area, where Messi controlled on his thigh and then, without letting the ball drop, took another touch with his left foot before thumping it into the top corner with his right.

He turned and ran, arms outstretched, towards the corner, slowed and sank to his knees. There, he pointed to the sky, neck tilted back, a look on his face that was almost manic. All around him, the noise. A release in blue and white that could only be matched the way it ultimately was – right at the end. In the stands Diego Maradona screamed and grabbed himself. Maybe there was life left in Argentina. Maybe, as Sampaoli had said, their World Cup could start here. As the second half progressed though, it looked like ending in despair.

SOURCE:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/26/nigeria-argentina-world-cup-match-report