Argentina 2 Mexico 1 (aet): Roll on Berlin next Friday. On a warm, intoxicating night of Latin rhythm in Leipzig, Argentina earned themselves a quarter-final clash with the host nation by beating Mexico 2-1 in a stunning second-round tie that was vibrant, skilful, never banal and ultimately highly dramatic.
Those of us who felt Argentina would cruise past Mexico could not have been more wrong. The tournament favourites were taken all the way to extra-time as the Mexicans proved once again they know plenty and more about how to play Argentina. For fully 60 minutes, they gave better than they got, hassling and harrying Argentina and never allowing the more fancied side dictate the pace.
Having an Argentine as your coach perhaps helps. What is certain is that Ricardo La Volpe's attacking 3-5-2 formation caught Argentina on the hop, the five-man midfield making life difficult for Riquelme et al and the rejuvenated striker Jarad Borgetti causing problems for the Argentine defence.
Long after the final whistle, as the ecstatic Argentine fans continued their hypnotic, rhythmic scarf-waving and singing, two of Mexico's elder statesman, striker Borgetti and goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, stood together in the centre circle. They stood there not just to acknowledge the applause of the Mexican fans but also to fully savour the moment, to freeze-frame the memory of the night that Mexican football gave its best-ever World Cup performance. Mexico are on the plane home, but they leave the tournament with heads held high.
For the Argentines, too, there is good news. As they prepare to face Germany, they must feel bouyed by a victory that required steady nerves, sustained concentration and quality football. If coach Josè Pekerman has any misgivings, they will focus on his defence and on just how much energy his side consumed in a game in which they had to dig deep for the full 120-plus minutes.
From the kick-off, it was obvious the Mexicans need no pep talks when playing Argentina. They were up for this one, so much so that within just six minutes they were in front. From a Pavel Pardo free kick on the right, Ramon Morales headed on across the goal to find captain Rafael Marquez outflanking Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze to imperiously sweep home. That was the sure signal not only that Argentina had a match on their hands but also that Heinze was going to have a difficult night.
Now, how good are you Argentina, we asked. The answer was soon forthcoming. Within four minutes, they had equalised after Hernan Crespo beat Borgetti to touch in a Juan Riquelme corner kick. One-one and the night was still young.
Five minutes later, Argentina might have made it 2-1 when the remarkable Riquelme yet again played a superb final pass, sending Crespo clean through. As Sanchez rushed out, Crespo chipped it over the goalkeeper's head only to see his deft, outside-of-right-foot touch go wide.
For a moment or two, it was tempting to think the good start made by Mexico was over, a temporary blip on the Argentine path to the final. Not so, however, for it was the Mexicans who took the game to Argentina, dominating possession and prompting one excellent stop from goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri when he tipped a 25th-minute Borgetti shot over the bar.
The first half ended with an emblematic incident as Heinze took his eye off a short pass from Abbondanzieri, letting the ball go through to Jose Fonseca, who was then hacked down by Heinze as he raced towards goal. Heinze could consider himself lucky the Swiss referee Massimo Busacca showed him only a yellow card.
With Heinze unsure in defence, West Ham's Lionel Scaloni, a surprise choice at right back, on a different wavelength from his team-mates and Javier Saviola on an off night up front, Argentina were clearly in trouble.
Inevitably, though, Mexico could not sustain the pace and on the hour mark they began to run out of ideas and energy. Ominously, the light-blue scarves were again beginning to wave in hypnotic unison.
Pekerman, in quick succession, threw all his aces on the table, bringing on first Carlos Tevez and Pablo Aimar for Crespo and Esteban Cambiasso in the 75th minute and then wunderkind Lionel Messi for Saviola in the 84th minute.
Argentina's winning goal in extra-time, a superb, outside-of-area strike from midfielder Maxi Rodriguez in the 98th minute following a crossfield pass from Juan Pablo Sorin - had a feeling of inevitability about it.
In the end, it was Argentina's night, one when both sets of ecstatic fans took a long time to leave the stadium as they basked in the afterglow of a magnificent game.
