The knockout stage of the World Cup has not been easy for defending champion Argentina.
They needed extra time in the round of 32 to earn a 3-2 victory against Cape Verde before requiring a late rally from a two-goal deficit against Egypt to claim a 3-2 win in the round of 16.
Goals may be harder to come by for Argentina against defensive-minded Switzerland in the quarterfinals on Saturday night in Kansas City, Mo.
“It wasn’t easy to come back from a 2-0 deficit in a World Cup knockout match – especially given how games are going these days, where no one gives you anything for free,” Argentina star Lionel Messi said. “But thank God, we did it once again.”
Messi, who earlier missed a penalty kick, scored the tying goal in the 83rd minute Tuesday in Atlanta before Enzo Fernandez netted the winner in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. Cristian Romero sparked the comeback with a goal in the 79th minute off a Messi assist.
The 39-year-old Messi has a record 21 World Cup tallies for his career. He owns eight goals in this World Cup, tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe for the most in the tourney. Mbappe, though, has played one more match, with his team already through to the semifinals.
“Especially for those players on the bench, the players who watch Lionel Messi play and can’t believe what they’re watching – he should be a role model for them,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “He tries again and again, and I get goosebumps.”
Swiss captain Granit Xhaka and defender Ricardo Rodriguez are the only members left from the 2014 squad that lost 1-0 in extra time to Messi and Argentina in the round of 16 at Brazil.
“I don’t know that we can stop him over 90 minutes. It’s going to be difficult,” said Xhaka, referring to Messi. “But we have to be smart, compact, close the gaps and not give him too many spaces. We just try to play our game.”
Argentina is riding an 11-match unbeaten streak in the World Cup. They’ve scored multiple times in each of those games, tied for the longest streak in tournament history.
“It’s obviously a very tough challenge,” said Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji. “But I think we’re ready. I think we can play against any opponent and make it hard for them. We know it’s going to be difficult but we’re going to give our best.”
Switzerland, in the quarterfinals for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1954, have scored nine goals over their five matches while conceding just three.
They’re coming off a scoreless draw vs. Colombia that they won 4-3 in penalty kicks.
“We know Argentina has many fine qualities. Few talk about the Swiss qualities,” Xhaka said. “(Saturday) we will talk on the pitch, and we will show what we can do, and everything else doesn’t matter.”
Switzerland will be without productive midfielder Johan Manzambi, who racked up three goals and two assists in their first four matches of the event, for the second straight match because of a knee injury.
“We tried everything we could to get him back in peak form,” Swiss coach Murat Yakin said. “Momentum was on his side, and there was so much joy when he plays, and he has his teammates by his side. Everything worked out so well for him until now.”
The winner of Saturday’s match will play either Norway or England on Wednesday in Atlanta with a berth in the World Cup final on July 19 at East Rutherford, N.J., on the line.
–Field Level Media
