Saturday, 24th June
Argentina Go Through After Extra Time
 Argentina vs  Mexico
in Leipzig
Previous Encounters:
Out of fourteen previous encounters Argentina and Mexico have drawn seven, the last one
being the Confederations Cup (1:1 aet) in Hannover, on 25th June 2005. Argentina won the
penalty shootout (6:5).
Most of the games were friendlies although they have met in the Copa
America before, Mexico winning the 2004 encounter (1:0), in Chiclayo, Peru.
The only time the two teams have met in World Cup history was back in Uruguay 1930; which Argentina won (6:3).
The Match:
Mexico kicked-off the all Latin America affair;the last 2006 World Cup Finals match to be
hosted in Leipzig. And it was Mexico who made the best early start, winning a few corners
and making the Argentinians feel a little nervous at the back.
Then before the Albicelestes could get a feel for the game, a flick-on
from Pavel Pardo's free-kick was met by Rafael Marquez at the far post. Mexico in front.
Argentina were shaken but not stirred as Jared Borgetti, with Hernan
Crespo right behind him and sticking out his leg towards the ball, appeared to head into
his own net from Juan Riquelme's in-swinging corner; although the goal was credited to
Hernan Crespo.
What a great start to the game. Back to square one but with high
adrenaline.
And the movement continued almost non-stop, with Mexico hardly giving
Argentina the time to play their game; although Crespo did have a great chance to level
the scores in the 23rd minute, when he clipped the ball with the outside of his foot,
instead of the inside, as he tried to sneak the ball over the advancing Sanchez.
Abbondanzieri then pushed a great Borgetti shot over the bar at the
other end.
The first-half ended in controversy as Gabriel Heinze didn't get sent
off for pulling down Francisco Fonseca as he ran at goal; instead, he was only booked.
Half-time: (1:0)
Argentina tried to slow things down early in the second-half, to
better suit their style of play.
But it was Borgetti who almost scored, sparking Mexico into another
spurt of tempo football.
Then Riquelme flicked a ball through to Saviola to run at Sanchez; who
managed to palm the chip away.
Around the hour mark, the pendulum seemed to swing Argentina's way and
their fans sensed it; increasing the volume of their chanting to a crescendo.
As the clock ticked towards the end of normal time, both teams have
used all three substitutions so they would have to hope for no injuries in the half an
hour of extra time.
Argentina had a goal disallowed, for offside, in the third minute of
injury time.
So, as the match goes to extra-time, with the score at (1:1) memories
of the Confederations Cup com flooding back.
With thirty minutes of extra-time, Argentina took the early advantage
when Maxi Rodr�guez took a high cross-field pass, from Juan Pablo Sorin, on his chest and
fired a screamer into the top left. Sanchez thumped the ground but there was really
nothing he could do to stop it.
Ricardo La Volpe, the Mexican manager of Argentine origin, was almost
in tears, at the short break, before he tried to motivate his players for one last, final
fifteen minutes fling; for a place in the quarter-finals.
Argentina could have sealed the victory with a third goal, after
Lionel Messi beat four defenders to work a quick one-two with fellow substitute, Carlos
Tevez; only to lose his footing when he entered the penalty area.
Gerardo Torrado was lucky when he earned a yellow card two minutes
from the end. It should have been his second yellow and he would have been sent off.
In all, Mexico took the game to Argentina and deserved the extra time.
But what a goal to seal the game with.
It's been a fantastic tournament for some great goals so far.
Final Score:
Argentina 2 - Mexico
1
After Extra Time
 Goalscorers:
0:1 Rafael Marquez (5)
1:1 Hern�n Crespo (10) - Jared Borgetti own goal really
2:1 Maxi Rodr�guez (98)
Teams
Argentina:
1 Roberto Abbondanzieri; 2 Roberto Ayala, 3 Juan Pablo Sorin,
6 Gabriel Heinze; 5 Esteban Cambiasso, 8 Javier Mascherano, 10 Juan
Riquelme, 13 Lionel Scaloni, 18 Maxi Rodr�guez; 7 Javier Saviola,
9 Hern�n Crespo.
Mexico:
1 Oswaldo Sanchez; 3 Carlos Salcido, 4 Rafael Marquez, 5 Ricardo Osorio, 15 Jose Antonio
Castro, 16 Mario Mendez, 18 Andres Guardado; 8 Pavel Pardo, 11 Ramon Morales; 9 Jared
Borgetti, 17 Francisco Fonseca.
Referee: Massimo Busacca 
Substitutions:
38 Mins (Mexico) - 6 Gerardo Torrado on for 8 Pavel Pardo
66 Mins (Mexico) - 14 Gonzalo Pineda on for 18 Andres Guardado
74 Mins (Mexico) - 7 Antonio 'Zinha' Naelson on for 11 Ramon Morales
76 Mins (Argentina) - 11 Carlos Tevez on for 9 Hern�n Crespo
76 Mins (Argentina) - 16 Pablo Aimar on for 5 Esteban Cambiasso
84 Mins (Argentina) - 19 Lionel Messi on for 7 Javier Saviola
 6 Yellow
Cards:
45 Mins - Gabriel Heinze (Argentina)
70 Mins - Rafael Marquez (Mexico)
82 Mins - Jose Antonio Castro (Mexico) - should have been Gerardo Torrado
112 Mins - Juan Pablo Sorin (Argentina)
118 Mins - Gerardo Torrado (Mexico)
119 Mins - Francisco Fonseca (Mexico)
 0 Red Cards.
2006 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.
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