2014 FIFA WORLD CUPSPORT ™

Argentina 1Higuaín 8′

Belgium0FT 90 +5

HT 1-0

5 July 2014 Last updated at 19:40

Argentina reached their first World Cup semi-final since finishing as runners-up in 1990 with victory over Belgium in Brasilia.Gonzalo Higuain scored the only goal at Estadio Nacional, a thunderous early volley that ended hisrun of six international games without a goal.

But Belgium's so-called golden generation were undone by another quicksilver Lionel Messiperformance, as Argentina set up a last-four encounter with either the Netherlands or Costa Rica inSao Paulo on Wednesday.

Match statisticsArgentina Belgium

1 Goals 0

2 Shots on target 1

3 Shots off target 6

5 Blocked Shots 3

3 Corners 4

11 Fouls 14

46 Possession % 54

The two-time champions again failed to reach their fluid best, and it is significant that all five of theirwins at this World Cup have been by a single goal.

Belgium went out with something of a whimper, lacking cohesion, creativity and precision and onlythreatening late on when they played one long ball after another towards Marouane Fellaini.

But on the day he equalled Diego Maradona's haul of 91 caps for Argentina, Messi stood apart, witha performance of majesty that propelled his side into the last four.

At times, he was balletic, at others he was bold. He played 40-yard passes with the precision of amaster craftsman and pirouetted away from danger time and again.

Sharper to the ball, more urgent in possession, Argentina started the quicker of the sides.

With Brazil striker Neymar confined to a wheelchair, there was a sense the tournament neededone of its superstars to produce a performance to remember. Messi did not disappoint.

Belgium did not help themselves, however. Captain Vincent Kompany gave possession awaycarelessly inside his own half after eight minutes, the ball running to Messi.

The Barcelona forward spun away from two defenders and clipped a pass to Angel Di Maria. His passwas deflected into the path of Higuain, who swivelled and volleyed unerringly beyond ThibautCourtois to send the tens of thousands of Argentina fans in the stadium into raptures.

Match facts

Argentina and Belgium mustered three shots on Gonzalo Higuain has matched Lionel Messi's

By Ben SmithBBC Sport in Brasilia

Live Coverage Groups & Schedule Results Fixtures Features & Video Top Scorers All Teams All FootballWorld Cup 2014

All SportGlasgow 2014World CupHome Football Formula 1 Cricket Rugby U Rugby L Tennis Golf Athletics

Argentina and Belgium mustered three shots ontarget, the lowest tally in a World Cup knockoutgame since the 1990 final.

total of five World Cup goals for Argentina,having played nine games compared to Messi's13.

This is the first time in World Cup history thatBrazil and Argentina have both appeared inthe semi-finals.

Belgium only conceded three goals in their fivegames at the 2014 World Cup finals.

There was more Messi magic to come. Argentina's talisman danced his way through a crowd ofBelgium players before being clipped on the edge of the area. His resulting free-kick curled narrowlywide but Belgium were on the back foot.

For much of the opening 45 minutes, the Red Devils were insipid, not inventive.

Kevin de Bruyne stung Sergio Romero's palmsfrom distance and Kevin Mirallas headed a JanVertonghen cross narrowly wide, but there waslittle pace or purpose.

With Messi in the spotlight, Eden Hazard struggledto escape the shadow. Belgium were caughtbetween wanting to throw caution to the wind anda fear of what Argentina might do on the counterattack.

An example came 10 minutes into the second half,when Mirallas lost the ball after a swift Belgiumbreak. Higuain raced away, nutmegged Kompanyand skimmed a curling shot onto the crossbar.

The introduction of substitutes Romelu Lukakuand Dries Mertens was an attempt to change thatdynamic.

With time running out, Vertonghen found Fellaini,who headed over. Moments later, Ezequiel Garayalmost deflected De Bruyne's cross into his ownnet. Hazard was replaced by Tottenham's NacerChadli as Marc Wilmots played his last card.

Belgium poured forward in search of a goal thatmight take them to extra time, but failed toproduce a moment that called Romero intoserious action. Messi had a chance to cap hisdisplay with a late goal, only for Courtois to

smother his shot when the pair faced each other one on one.

With time running out, Belgium came again, Lukaku prodding a ball across goal before Axel Witselfired the rebound over. But Argentina and Messi stood firm.

LINEUP, BOOKINGS (3) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)

Argentina01 Romero04 Zabaleta23 Basanta

Belgium01 Courtois02 Alderweireld 05 Vertonghen

46 54

10 10

2 1

3 4

11 14

MATCH STATS

Possession

Shots

On target

Corners

Fouls

14 Mascherano15 Demichelis02 Garay07 Di María (Pérez - 33' )06 Biglia 09 Higuaín (Gago - 81' )10 Messi22 Lavezzi (Palacio - 71' )

Substitutes03 Campagnaro05 Gago08 Pérez11 Rodríguez12 Orión13 Fernández17 Fernández18 Palacio19 Álvarez20 Agüero21 Andujar

06 Witsel15 van Buyten04 Kompany11 Mirallas (Mertens - 60' )08 Fellaini17 Origi (Lukaku - 59' )07 De Bruyne10 Hazard (Chadli - 75' )

Substitutes03 Vermaelen09 Lukaku12 Mignolet13 Bossut14 Mertens16 Defour18 Lombaerts19 Dembélé20 Januzaj21 Vanden Borre22 Chadli23 Ciman

Ref: Nicola RizzoliAtt: 68,551

Full Time

Match ends, Argentina 1, Belgium 0.

+5:0090:00

Full Time

Second Half ends, Argentina 1, Belgium 0.

+4:4990:00 Attempt missed. Rodrigo Palacio (Argentina) right footed shot

from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Lucas Biglia witha headed pass.

+4:0790:00 Attempt missed. Axel Witsel (Belgium) right footed shot from

outside the box is high and wide to the right.

+3:2490:00 Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Argentina) left footed shot from

outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted byFernando Gago.

+0:2190:00 Delay over. They are ready to continue.

89:45 Delay in match Enzo Pérez (Argentina) because of an injury.

88:36

Live Text Commentary

88:36 Hand ball by Daniel van Buyten (Belgium).

87:49 Corner, Belgium. Conceded by José Basanta.

86:33 Foul by Romelu Lukaku (Belgium).

86:33 José Basanta (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensivehalf.

85:05 Offside, Belgium. Dries Mertens tries a through ball, butRomelu Lukaku is caught offside.

84:19 Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Ezequiel Garay.

84:17 Attempt blocked. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) right footed shotfrom outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku.

83:56 Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensivehalf.

83:56 Foul by Rodrigo Palacio (Argentina).

83:14 Offside, Belgium. Daniel van Buyten tries a through ball, butMarouane Fellaini is caught offside.

82:48 Axel Witsel (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

82:48 Foul by Lionel Messi (Argentina).

81:52 Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium).

81:52 Javier Mascherano (Argentina) wins a free kick on the leftwing.

80:43 Substitution

Substitution, Argentina. Fernando Gago replaces GonzaloHiguaín.

78:41 Foul by Axel Witsel (Belgium).

78:41 Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina) wins a free kick on the rightwing.

76:02 Offside, Belgium. Romelu Lukaku tries a through ball, butNacer Chadli is caught offside.

76:01 Attempt blocked. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) left footed shotfrom outside the box is blocked. Assisted by TobyAlderweireld.

75:17 Attempt missed. Dries Mertens (Belgium) right footed shotfrom outside the box is close, but misses to the left from adirect free kick.

74:52 Substitution

Substitution, Belgium. Nacer Chadli replaces Eden Hazard.

74:21 Booking

Lucas Biglia (Argentina) is shown the yellow card for a badfoul.

74:13 Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.

74:13 Foul by Lucas Biglia (Argentina).

73:38 Attempt blocked. Axel Witsel (Belgium) right footed shot fromoutside the box is blocked.

72:40 Marouane Fellaini (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensivehalf.

72:40 Dangerous play by José Basanta (Argentina).

71:41 Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Belgium).

71:41 Lucas Biglia (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

70:26

70:26 Offside, Argentina. Javier Mascherano tries a through ball,but Gonzalo Higuaín is caught offside.

70:13 Substitution

Substitution, Argentina. Rodrigo Palacio replaces EzequielLavezzi.

67:50 Booking

Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for abad foul.

67:47 Foul by Toby Alderweireld (Belgium).

67:47 Lucas Biglia (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

64:06 Eden Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

64:06 Foul by Lucas Biglia (Argentina).

63:08 Foul by Toby Alderweireld (Belgium).

63:08 Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina) wins a free kick on the left wing.

61:32 Offside, Belgium. Dries Mertens tries a through ball, butMarouane Fellaini is caught offside.

61:15 Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.

61:15 Foul by Lucas Biglia (Argentina).

60:48 Foul by Dries Mertens (Belgium).

60:48 Enzo Pérez (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

60:16 Attempt missed. Marouane Fellaini (Belgium) header from thecentre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jan Vertonghenwith a cross following a set piece situation.

59:44 Delay over. They are ready to continue.

59:23 Delay in match Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina) because of aninjury.

59:05 Substitution

Substitution, Belgium. Dries Mertens replaces Kevin Mirallas.

58:53 Substitution

Substitution, Belgium. Romelu Lukaku replaces Divock Origi.

54:20 Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina) hits the bar with a right footedshot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Enzo Pérez.

53:33 Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Thibaut Courtois.

52:50 Booking

Eden Hazard (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for a badfoul.

52:32 Lucas Biglia (Argentina) wins a free kick on the right wing.

52:32 Foul by Eden Hazard (Belgium).

50:48 Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Daniel van Buyten.

50:46 Attempt blocked. Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina) right footedshot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted byEzequiel Lavezzi.

46:35 Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attackinghalf.

46:35 Foul by Vincent Kompany (Belgium).

45:00

Second Half begins Argentina 1, Belgium 0.

+2:0045:00

Half Time

First Half ends, Argentina 1, Belgium 0.

+1:1345:00 Hand ball by Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina).

41:57 Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Vincent Kompany.

41:15 Attempt missed. Kevin Mirallas (Belgium) header from thecentre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted byJan Vertonghen with a cross.

39:50 Attempt missed. Lionel Messi (Argentina) left footed shotfrom outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct freekick.

38:06 Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Belgium).

38:06 Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

33:17 Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Belgium).

33:17 Martín Demichelis (Argentina) wins a free kick in thedefensive half.

32:41 Substitution

Substitution, Argentina. Enzo Pérez replaces Ángel Di Maríabecause of an injury.

32:32 Delay over. They are ready to continue.

31:39 Delay in match Ángel Di María (Argentina) because of aninjury.

31:16 Divock Origi (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

31:16 Foul by Ezequiel Garay (Argentina).

29:31 Delay over. They are ready to continue.

28:28 Delay in match Ángel Di María (Argentina) because of aninjury.

27:39 Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Argentina) left footed shotfrom the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by LionelMessi with a through ball.

25:44 Vincent Kompany (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensivehalf.

25:44 Foul by Lionel Messi (Argentina).

25:31 Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) right footed shotfrom outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.Assisted by Axel Witsel.

22:49 Offside, Belgium. Vincent Kompany tries a through ball, butDivock Origi is caught offside.

22:02 Offside, Belgium. Toby Alderweireld tries a through ball, butMarouane Fellaini is caught offside.

18:42 Foul by Lionel Messi (Argentina).

18:42 Axel Witsel (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

17:07 Attempt missed. Vincent Kompany (Belgium) header from theleft side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right.Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross following a corner.

16:25 Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Ezequiel Garay.

15:37 Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

15:37 Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Belgium).

Share this story

14:09 Corner, Belgium. Conceded by José Basanta.

12:55 Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) left footed shotfrom outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by EdenHazard following a fast break.

12:25 Attempt blocked. Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina) right footedshot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted byJavier Mascherano.

7:29 Goal!

Goal! Argentina 1, Belgium 0. Gonzalo Higuaín (Argentina)right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom leftcorner.

5:44 Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Argentina) left footed shotfrom outside the box is blocked. Assisted by JavierMascherano.

5:33 Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attackinghalf.

5:33 Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Belgium).

3:37 Attempt blocked. Ángel Di María (Argentina) left footed shotfrom outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lucas Biglia.

1:18 Axel Witsel (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

1:18 Foul by Javier Mascherano (Argentina).

0:00First Half begins.

0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Live data and text provided by our data suppliers

BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the contentof external sites. Read more.