Angel di Maria breaks Switzerland hearts

Angel di Maria would be the Argentine hero on Tuesday in Brazil

After 118 minutes we were denied a penalty shoot-out as Angel di Maria coolly slotted home a late winner. Alex Johnson tells all...

Argentina clinched their place in the World Cup quarter-finals after securing a dramatic 1-0 victory against Switzerland.

Angel Di Maria scored the winner with just two minutes of extra time left as Argentina edged a grim last-16 encounter.

Argentina had spluttered to three victories out of three in the group stage, and again lacked creativity against a Swiss side that was superbly organised by veteran manager Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Lionel Messi was subdued throughout, although he did create the last-gasp goal for Di Maria just when the match seemed certain to be settled by a penalty shoot-out.

Even after the 118th-minute goal, Switzerland almost grabbed an equaliser when substitute Blerim Dzemali headed against the post when it seemed easier to score.

In a cagey first half it was the Swiss that created the better chances with Sergio Romero being forced to save Granit Xhaka's shot with his legs.

The Argentina goalkeeper was extremely fortunate not to concede a goal when he inexplicably decided not to come out to claim a long punt forward when he was clearly the favourite to get to the ball first. Josip Drmic could not take advantage though, failing miserably to lob the keeper when clean through.

Di Maria was a threat down the left-hand side in the early stages for Argentina but faded as the game wore on while Pablo Zabaleta struggled to get forward and, when he did, a poor cross by the Manchester City man was gathered by Diego Benaglio.

Gonzalo Higuain got his head to Messi's free-kick but was unable to guide the ball goalwards while Ezequiel Lavezzi's weak shot was straight at Benaglio.

Ezequiel Garay was then unable to get any contact on the ball as it whistled across the six-yard area but Argentina's build-up play was generally too ponderous and predictable and Switzerland endured very few alarms throughout the match.

Argentina tried to step up the pace in the second half and Benaglio was forced to make an acrobatic save when he flicked Higuain's spectacular header over the bar.

Higuain then headed wide before Messi lashed a powerful shot over the bar as Argentina ramped up the pressure.

An increasingly jittery Romero was almost caught out by Xherdan Shaqiri's free-kick which he fumbled before finally gathering the ball.

When Argentina tried to create an opening Benaglio parried Messi's low left-footed drive and was injured in the ensuing scramble.

Argentina seemed to run out of ideas as the second half wore on though as the Swiss defence, in which Ricardo Rodriguez was outstanding, stood firm.

Messi and his team-mates seemed shattered as the match moved into extra time while Switzerland looked stronger, and with a more positive attitude, could have grabbed a winner.

Benaglio did well to keep out the lively Argentina substitute Rodrigo Palacio's header from a free-kick before, out of nothing, Di Maria fired in a powerful shot that almost caught the Switzerland goalkeeper out.

As the seconds ticked by, both teams seemed resigned to trying their luck in the penalty shoot-out but, as Germany, Brazil and the Netherlands have shown earlier in the last-16 matches, nothing is predictable at this World Cup.

When Switzerland lost the ball near the halfway line, a seemingly fatigued Messi found some last reserves of energy as he powered forward before playing in Di Maria whose low left-footed drive was too good for Benaglio.

The Switzerland goalkeeper moved up for a last-gasp corner and almost scored but, after Dzemali had headed against the woodwork, Di Maria almost made it 2-0 with a shot from the halfway line. The goal was gaping but the ball drifted narrowly wide.