‘Six out of 10 Argentina not enough’

Coach dissatisfied with team’s show despite 2-1 win over Bosnia.

RIO DE JANEIRO: Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella urged his players to raise their game after seeing them labour to overcome Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1 in their opening World Cup match in Rio de Janeiro.

One of the pre-tournament favourites, Argentina went ahead in the third minute thanks to a Sead Kolasinac own goal, but it took a glorious 65th-minute solo effort from Lionel Messi to give them breathing space.



Even then, an 85th-minute strike by substitute Vedad Ibisevic threatened to give Bosnia a path back into the game and there was relief in the Argentine ranks when the final whistle sounded.

“If we analyse the two halves, I’d give us six out of 10,” Sabella told a press conference after Sunday’s Group F encounter at the Maracana.

“We have to improve. Part of this improvement is my responsibility.”

After seeing his side toil in a 5-3-2 formation in the first half, Sabella reverted to a 4-3-3 system at half-time and sent on Gonzalo Higuain and Fernando Gago.

The changes took Argentina back to the set-up they had used in qualifying and they proved effective, with Messi thriving amid the extra space and scoring following a one-two with Higuain.

“In the first half, we controlled Bosnia well, but we weren’t getting in behind. That’s what we managed to do in the second half,” said Sabella.

Messi in particular seemed to appreciate the switch and his goal carried all of his hallmarks — a sudden burst of acceleration, a neat one-two, a sidestep that flummoxed two defenders, and an unerring low strike.

“Messi is the best player in the world and he doesn’t need much, but there’s always a context that can aid him a bit more,” added Sabella. “Giving him more passes and then giving him better support makes him stronger.”

Messi’s strike ended his eight-year wait for a second World Cup goal after he failed to find the net once at the 2010 tournament in South Africa, when Argentina were crushed by Germany in the quarter-finals.

Making their first World Cup appearance, Bosnia more than held their own against Argentina, recording 11 shots on target to their opponents’ five and forcing six corners to the South Americans’ two.

Hitzfeld pleased with ‘delightful’ Swiss win

Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was all smiles as Haris Seferovic scored in the last minute of injury time to grab a dramatic 2-1 win over Ecuador in their Group E game.

“I really thought the move was delightful,” said the 68-year-old German.

“We reacted intuitively and knew how to take advantage of the Ecuadorean mistake. It is marvellous to win in the last minute as it releases positive energy and is very good for the morale of the team.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2014.

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