A forum for all 'english-speaking' fans of Gabriel Omar Batistuta, which EVER team he's involved with!
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Ok I watched it on Gol Tv horrible commentary really had to suffer but overall I am very impressed with Rojo brilliant youngster love him :) so glad we won it was an entertaining nail biting match especially since Portugal nearly took the lead in the second half ! beautiful penalty kick from Messi :)
Thanks Brigie.
I couldn't watch the match over here, but I'm SO glad they won!!! Here is a report on the match....
Argentina 2-1 Portugal: Messi Late Show Hands Albiceleste Victory After Battle In Geneva
Messi stepped up to convert a last-minute penalty and hand Argentina a close victory over Portugal, who will be rueing a pair of second half chances that went awry...
By Daniel Edwards
A last-minute penalty from Lionel Messi broke Portuguese resistance and ensured a 2-1 victory for Argentina, in a game where both teams had ample chances to win. Messi's goal added to an exquisite first-half assist as Angel di Maria gave the Albiceleste an early lead, before Cristiano Ronaldo had pegged them back with an opportunistic finish from close range.
Argentina were surprised from the first whistle as Portugal went immediately on the front foot, but settled down quickly and got their typical incisive passing game into gear. Messi, Esteban Cambiasso and Ezequiel Lavezzi looked dangerous in combination, and ‘La Pulga’ had the first real chance of the game with a header that went just wide.
The Albiceleste did not have to wait long for an opener though, and again the Barcelona star was pivotal. After cutting in from the right hand side the Argentine centre forward chipped an exquisite pass into the path of Di Maria, who accelerated behind a static defence and beat Eduardo with a composed finish.
It appeared that the Albiceleste would run away with the game, but Portugal rallied and after 20 minutes had Cristiano Ronaldo to thank for the equaliser.
Although no way near as integral to his team’s effort as Messi, the Real Madrid striker has an undeniable eye for goal and he demonstrated it once more to level the game. Nani did well to open up space on the left and a teasing cross was put into the box, and Ronaldo got the jump on a sluggish Sergio Romero to drive under the 'keeper and cancel out Argentina’s advantage.
Paulo Bento’s side had a clear game plan of squeezing their opponents across the pitch and getting bodies behind the ball, and in a tight first half it gradually paid-off. Raul Meireles in particular took pleasure in destroying the Argentine rhythm, and was lucky to avoid a booking following several over-enthusiastic challenges.
Argentina on the other hand showed their usual Jekyll and Hyde mentality, combining stunning play going forward with careless passages in their own half. Gabriel Milito and Javier Mascherano in particular were guilty of giving away possession, but the entire team were caught far too many times with the ball in dangerous positions.
Once the ball reached the final third however Messi and company looked constantly threatening, and Lavezzi missed a chance in the area after great work from Marcos Rojo. A less than impeccable Portugal defence knew they needed to close the gaps as the whistle went for half time.
The Argentine defence suffered a big scare in the opening seconds of the second period, when Ronaldo’s cross found an unmarked Hugo Almeida and the centre forward clipped the bar with a powerful header.
The physical number nine started the half like a man possessed, and once more rattled Romero’s bar with a header just minutes later. A rattled ‘Seleccion’ struggled to assert themselves in the face of fierce tackling, Meireles again escaped sanction for a crunching late challenge on Cambiasso.
The fouls however ran their own risk, and Messi forced a great save from Eduardo from a dangerous free kick just outside the area. The game was now running at a pulsating pace, and just minutes later Almeida missed an incredible chance from inches out, before the entire Portugal team clamoured for a non-existent foul in the build up.
The hour mark saw Ronaldo withdrawn to a rousing ovation from the Portuguese contingent in Geneva, while Zanetti and Banega made way for the Albiceleste. The change saw the Europeans lose some of their potency on the break and Argentina subsequently dared to push forward a little more, but Bruno Alves and Rolando stayed resolute in the centre and Batista's men continued to be squeezed with the ball at feet.
After a quiet spell debutant Rojo had a golden chance to break the deadlock, but with 15 minutes left the Spartak Moscow player nodded a free header wide left to his obvious anguish.
Substitute Javier Pastore was the next man to go close, but after patient build up play the Palermo playmaker could not beat Eduardo one on one, and the scoreline remained 1-1 as the game moved into its final stages. Argentina had by far the best of the closing exchanges, and a towering header from 'El Flaco' could not have been closer to a winner as it rebounded off the bar.
With just minutes left on the clock though Velez Sarsfield striker Juan Manuel Martinez was taken down by Fabio Coentrao in the box, and the referee had no choice but to award a penalty. Who else to step up but 'La Pulga': Messi calmly sent the 'keeper the wrong way to seal a hard-fought victory, in a game which on balance the Argentines deserved to win.
Goal.com
Even though that I don't give an old hat for these friendly matches, then it sure is going better after AFA sidelined Diego
