Fifa World Cup 2014 Brazil: Messi magic lights up Maracana as Argentina sink Bosnia

Lionel Messi finally made his mark on the World Cup and lit up the Maracana with his first goal in the finals for eight years as Argentina were forced to battle for a 2-1 win over debutants Bosnia in their opening Group F match on Sunday.

Messi, four-times world player of the year and Argentina's best footballer since Diego Maradona graced the 1986 tournament, put his side 2-0 ahead on a night when the stadium was turned into little Buenos Aires by tens of thousands of his countrymen.

Although they took the lead in the third minute when Sead Kolasinac netted the fastest own goal in World Cup history, Argentina looked unconvincing until Messi struck with a dazzling run and sweet left-foot shot that went in off the post in the 65th minute after a one-two with substitute Gonzalo Higuain.

It was Messi's first goal in the finals since scoring in Argentina's 6-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro almost eight years ago to the day.

Even then they could not afford to relax as substitute Vedad Ibisevic scored in the 85th minute for Bosnia to set up a thrilling finale.

"They were two different halves," Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella told a news conference.

"In the first one I think we controlled the Bosnians well, but beyond that, we didn't create the kind of depth that we managed in the second half. Obviously we need to improve."

Unwanted Record

The match began dramatically when Kolasinac put through his own net after two minutes eight seconds, beating the previous unwanted record set by Paraguay's Carlos Gamarra against England in 2006 by 38 seconds.

He was in the wrong place when a Messi free kick, headed on by Marcos Rojo, hit him and went in.

Bosnia, naturally shaken after making such a bad start to their first ever match in the finals, did not dwell on their misfortune for long.

After surviving a nervy spell, they began to look the better side against a subdued Argentina team who were in danger of losing their record of winning their opening match in their last five World Cups.

Messi, whose tepid displays in the last World Cup in South Africa when he failed to score have been exhaustively documented, made little impression until his goal and Bosnia had their chances with both Senad Lulic and Edin Dzeko going close in the first half.

Substitute Ibisevic scored Bosnia's first World Cup goal when he shot through Sergio Romero's legs, but it was too little too late.

Bosnia were far from outplayed, however, and capitalised on a cautious safety-first approach from Sabella in the first half.

Playing with five at the back against lone striker Dzeko and with Sergio Aguero and Messi getting limited service in attack, Bosnia dealt with their more illustrious opponents with relative ease.

Muhamed Besic did a good policing job on Messi who was largely anonymous in the first half.

Sabella changed his formation at halftime, introducing Fernando Gago in midfield and Higuain in attack but in the end it was Messi's magic, as so often is the case, that made the difference.

"The objective was to play as well as we can against Argentina, who are the favourites to win the World Cup, and I think we played a good match," Bosnia coach Safet Susic said.

"We played well in both halves and it was only because of the psychological pressure that we looked as if we had run out of steam a little bit in the closing stages."

FULL TIME

Argentina 2 (Kolasinac 3"-OG Messi 65") Bosnia 1 (Ibisevic 85")

90+2" Messi hits the side netting after Higuain breaks into the box.

90" There are three minutes of added time.

88" Messi is scythed down by a tackle from Visca.

87" Aguero makes way for Lucas Biglia.

84" GOAL! Substitute Ibisevic has pulled one back rolling past a bemused Romero to score Bosnia's first goal in a World Cup finals.

Argentina 2 (Kolasinac 3"-OG Messi 65") Bosnia 1 (Ibisevic 85")

78" There were 623 match minutes, and eight years, between Lionel Messi's two World Cup goals.

75" Aguero is wide off target after a galloping run from the middle.

71" Bosnia make a double change with Vedad Ibisevic and Edin Visca being thrown in.

70" Messi has brought the game alive and struck a magnificent goal just when the knives were coming out.

67" Higuain flicks the ball into his run with the outside of his boot, Messi runs from right to left across the edge of the box, beats two men before unleashing his magical shot.

65" GOAL! Messi finally gives the moment the world has been waiting for eight years lashing a superb left foot shot into the bottom corner which went in via the post.

Argentina 2 (Kolasinac 3"-OG Messi 65") Bosnia 0

60" Aguero's low shot is smother by Romero after Messi dances with the ball at the top of the penalty area, before squaring to the Man City man.

57" Almost another own goal as Argentina defender Fernandez heads away from inside his goalmouth.

56" Messi seems to have sprung into action jinxing through the middle with another mazy run before releasing to Di Maria whose cross is blocked.

55" Messi attempts a one-two with Aguero but the City man spoons it over.

52" Argentina seem to be lying with Bosnia doing most of the running.

50" Bosnia get a free kick after Dzeko is tackled from behind which Hajrovic gets up and over the wall but Romero makes the save.

46" Bosnia get the second period under way and get a corner following Rojo's clearance.

Hugo Campagnaro and Maxi Rodriguez are replaced by Higuain and Gago so it's four at the back for Argentina now.

Bosnia seem to have settled down after the early setback to deny Argentina with Romero having to do lot of work while Kolasinac scored the fastest own goal (144 seconds) in World Cup history.

HALF-TIME

Argentina 1 (Kolasinac 3"-OG) Bosnia 0

45" Messi weaves through inside the box before attempting to square to Aguero, but Bicakcic clears.

43" Rojo gets on the end of a good ball in a deep overlapping run on the left, but no one is there to meet his cross into the box.

41" Romero brings off a fine save from a Lulic header from a corner.

38" Messi has had just one shot at goal and created two chances but passed 23 times tiki-taka style.

36" Bicakcic goes down by an accidental forehead smash from Aguero after both went up for a high ball.

33" Dzeko lifts a shot tamely over the crossbar from 20 yards on the turn with Lulic free to his left.

32" Mascherano's drive from 25 yards out is on target but parried away by Begovic.

31" Rodriguez attempts a long-range shot which sails over the bar.

26" A good delivery from Misimovic almost lands at a dark blue shirt but Argentina clear to safety just.

25" YELLOW! Rojo is the first player to be booked in the match.

24" Zabaleta flicks the ball up and over a defender brilliantly but Bosnia captain Emir Spahic shuts the door in his face.

22" Bosnia are looking lively in attack.

20" Messi is heavily marked running into a wall of defence as he tries to weave through inside the box.

15" Bosnia almost scored before Romero virtually snatches the ball from Misimovic.

8" Argentina hold a fantastically high line from a Bosnia free-kick, before goalkeeper Sergio Romero is called into action to punch clear a cross from out wide.

5" Kolašinac's own goal after 2:08 is the fastest own goal in World Cup history.

3" GOAL! Argentina are ahead after Messi whips in a free kick and it hits the unfortunate Sead Kolasinac before finding the back of the net.

Argentina 1 (Kolasinac 3"-OG) Bosnia 0

1" Argentina get the game underway

The last time Maracana hosted a World Cup match, it held 200,000 people.

The atmosphere inside the stadium is awesome.

Teams:

Argentina: 1-Sergio Romero; 4-Pablo Zabaleta, 3–Hugo Campagnaro, 2-Ezequiel Garay, 16-Marcos Rojo, 17-Federico Fernandez; 7-Angel Di Maria, 14-Javier Mascherano, 11–Maxi Rodriguez; 10-Lionel Messi, 20-Sergio Aguero

Substitutes: 5-Fernando Gago, 6–Lucas Biglia, 8–Enzo Perez, 9-Gonzalo Higuain, 12–Agustin Orion, 13–Augusto Fernandez, 15–Martin Demichelis, 18–Rodrigo Palacio, 19–Ricky Alvarez, 21–Mariano Andujar, 22–Ezequiel Lavezzi, 23–Jose Basanta,

Bosnia: 1-Asmir Begovic; 13-Mensur Mujdza, 4-Emir Spahic, 3-Ermin Bicakcic, 5-Sead Kolasinac; 20-Izet Hajrovic, 7-Muhamed Besic, 8-Miralem Pjanic, 16–Senad Lulic, 10-Zvjezdan Misimovic; 11-Edin Dzeko

Substitutes: 2–Avdija Vrsajevic, 6–Ognjen Vranjes, 9–Vedad Ibisevic, 12–Jasmin Fejzic, 14–Tino Sven Susic, 15-Toni Sunjic, 17–Senijad Ibricic, 18–Haris Medunjanin, 19–Edin Visca, 21–Anel Hadzic, 22–Asmir Avdukic, 23-Sejad Salihovic

PREVIEW

Lionel Messi takes centre stage on Sunday when Argentina face tournament debutants Bosnia in their World Cup opener in Rio De Janeiro and France begin their campaign without injured winger Franck Ribery.

Four-times world player of the year Messi spearheads an Argentine attack including Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria which is likely to give opposing defences plenty of problems throughout the tournament.

The South Americans are bidding for their third world title as they begin the tournament against an inexperienced Bosnia side who will look to Edin Dzeko for goals in the Group F match at the Maracana.

France should fancy their chances against Honduras in their Group E opener in Porto Alegre but the Central Americans will hope the former champions' penchant for erratic performances opens the door for an upset.

A first-ever meeting between Switzerland and Honduras could be instrumental in deciding who finishes second in Group E where France are seen as likely winners and Honduras are considered rank outsiders.

MARACANA

Argentina embark on an expected breeze through World Cup Group F on Sunday against a talented if inexperienced Bosnia side playing in the finals for the first time.

The sides meet at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro where Lionel Messi's side, boasting one of the world's best attacks, will be hoping to return for the final on July 13 in search of their nation's third world title.

Messi scored his 38th Argentina goal in last week's warmup win over Slovenia, opponents chosen specifically with Bosnia in mind.

The Argentina captain will see it as a good omen as he looks to break a World Cup scoring hoodoo dating back to his 2006 debut in Germany and a goalless 2010 finals in South Africa.

Messi appears in good shape and mood going into the tournament after a mixed season with hamstring problems and fewer goals than usual with a mere three for Argentina compared with the 13 he notched between June 2012 and June 2013.

Argentina, who beat Bosnia 2-0 in a November friendly without Messi thanks to two Sergio Aguero goals, have an average defence compared with to their attacking riches but midfielder Fernando Gago said the key to success would be balance and playing as an 11-man unit.

"We know that in the final quarter few teams can play at the speed of Angel (Di Maria), Kun (Aguero), Leo (Messi). The precision they have at such speed marks the difference," Gago told reporters.

"From my position I have to help them to ensure they get clean ball and give balance to the rear, you can't cut the team (in half)," he told the sports daily Ole.

"You need the 11 to attack and the 11 to defend. The forwards have to have high precision and sometimes withdraw to break out in quick counters."

DZEKO ROLE

Striker Gonzalo Higuain, the other member of Argentina's 'Fab Four' strike force, played the first half of Thursday's practice for the reserves in a role coach Alejandro Sabella expects Bosnia danger man Edin Dzeko to play.

With Higuain having recovered from a left ankle problem, Argentina should be at full strength against Bosnia in a group which also contains Nigeria and Iran.

Bosnia coach Safet Susic, known for his penchant for attacking football, is likely to deploy a more conservative formation against Argentina with top scorer Dzeko as the lone striker operating in front of a five-man midfield.

Having qualified for their first major tournament as an independent nation, Bosnia could not have asked for a tougher first appearance on the biggest stage.

"We are up against the group favourites and a team whose ambition is to go all the way but nonetheless, we have high hopes of getting something from this game and going through to the last 16," Susic said.

The magnitude of the task has left Susic pondering how to use versatile midfielder Muhamed Besic, whose designated role was to man-mark Messi.

Susuc hinted he was prepared to make a tactical U-turn.

"It's a dilemma but I now think it would be counterproductive to sacrifice a player of Besic's fitness and ability just to man-mark Messi although he would be ideal for that role," he said.

"Messi will probably enjoy plenty of freedom but we need to have someone near him every time he gets the ball."

 

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