Sao Paulo: Cometh the hour, cometh the 'saviour' Angel di Maria. It is true great players never give up. Great players do historic things in key moments to get everything for their club or country. And Di Maria did the same at the jam-packed Arena de Sao Paulo.
With 117 minutes gone in the World Cup last-16 match in Sao Paulo and Argentina and Switzerland still goalless, winger Di Maria starred for Argentina. The Real Madrid star scored in the 118th minute to give Argentina a 1-0 win over Switzerland in extra time and a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals.
With a penalty shootout looming, Lionel Messi made a surging run toward the Swiss area and laid the ball off to Di Maria on the right, and the winger sent a left-foot shot past diving goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.
Di Maria's first goal of this World Cup couldn't have come at a better time for Argentina, or for himself.
Overshadowed by the efforts of captain Messi, the winger showed his importance to the team on Tuesday and came through when Argentina really needed him.
He scored two minutes before the end of extra time to avoid penalties and secure a 1-0 win over Switzerland that sent Argentina through to the quarter-finals.
Di Maria tried to deflect credit, saying all his team-mates were responsible.
"All 23 of us and the technical staff are heroes," di Maria said. "We gave our life. We left our soul on the pitch."
Before his goal, di Maria didn't have the best of matches, giving the ball away a couple of dozen times. But his first-time shot against Switzerland more than made up for his shortcomings at Sao Paulo Arena.
After receiving a flicked pass from Messi, he struck the ball low to beat Switzerland goalkeeper Diego Benaglio at the far post.
Di Maria's previous highlight of the tournament was hitting the post in Argentina's 3-2 win over Nigeria in the group stage.
He had a good season for Real Madrid, and among his best moments was providing the assist for the equalizer in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid won 4-1.
Di Maria usually plays on the left wing, so it was unusual that his goal Tuesday came from the right. But coach Alejandro Sabella said that was the game plan all along, switching di Maria's and Ezequiel Lavezzi's positions.
"We thought that di Maria and Lavezzi should constantly change positions," Sabella said.
Struggling, scraping through matches and popping up with late winners has been Argentina's modus operandi at this World Cup.
Di Maria also has fought to make an impact at the tournament and his frustrations showed last week at a news conference when asked why Argentina wasn't doing so well.
He gave a testy response, saying "I don't know why you keep saying we weren't playing well," and blaming Argentina's opponents for playing too defensively.
But di Maria's goal released that frustration as he celebrated at a corner flag, making a heart with his hands before being mobbed by teammates.
"I dedicate it to my wife and daughter," he said. "Now we have four days until the next match. We have to continue giving our lives on the pitch."
(With inputs from AP)
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