Goals: Argentina—Higuain 8'
Recap: A mildly entertaining affair saw Argentina move past Belgium on Saturday, finishing the 90 minutes with a 1-0 victory.
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Chances were few and far between in the first half. The best opportunity for either side came in the eighth minute when a gratuitous bounce landed at the feet of Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain. The 26-year-old left zero doubts with his first touch, burying his first goal of the tournament. Belgium had very little to offer from there, finishing the match with just one shot on goal.
Key Moment: Argentina looked comfortable in the early going, but one injury altered Alejandro Sabella's plans. Midfielder Angel Di Maria was forced off in the 33rd minute with an apparent knee injury. Subsequently, with no link for an effective counter, Argentina was forced to shell and defend for the remainder of the match. The tactical shift was effective, but should Di Maria's injury be a serious one, Argentina will need to return to the tactics board for the semifinal.
Man of the Match: Argentina's Ezequiel Garay provided Belgium next to no space in Brasilia. The 27-year-old finished the match with 11 effective clearances and six interceptions.
Lesson Learned: For all the doubt surrounding the Argentine defense, Sabella's back line finished a second consecutive match with a clean sheet. The brilliance of Lionel Messi has already been overstated, but the defending abilities Garay and Martin Demichelis shouldn't be overshadowed. The center-back duo will be heavily relied upon in the semifinals and beyond.
Up Next: Argentina travels to Sao Paulo to participate in the World Cup semifinals, while Belgium returns home to prepare for the 2016 European cup.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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