Ode to Iran and the legend of Lionel Messi
Brazil captures a special place in any soccer fan’s heart. The Brazilian footballer’s way of evading any defender in their own ‘samba’ way probably is the reason behind it. But, the fans of the Latin American country are equally popular when the attention shifts from the pitch to the gallery. The legend of the game has become richer with the tale of fans painting the gallery yellow, their celebration which resembles a Copa Cabana beach party irrespective of the match’s result. The Latin American beauties are a photographer’s delight when they make a pout and smile at the lenses with their face painted in yellow and blue.
But on Saturday, it was the Argentine fans who painted Belo Horizonte in blue and white. They cheered the Albicelestes and jeered the Iranians in such a musical rhythm which smelt of the Samba flavour of Maracana. They had set the stage, singing and dancing with extraordinary choreography. They had set the stage for their captain- ‘Come, mesmerise us with your left foot; let us humiliate the hapless Asian country with our Latin American footy skills.’
But what unfolded in the next 94 minutes has made headlines around the world- Argentina 1 Iran 0. If the scoreboard had depicted a scoreline of missed chances, it would have been Iran 3 Argentina 2. Such was the resilience of the Iranian defence; they would have made Hasan Rouhmani more proud than the scientists in white coats in Tehran’s nuclear plants.
Aguero, Di Maria, Higuain; the multimillion stars of the best leagues in the world failed to find any space near the Iranian box. Football pundits will mourn the way the physically agile defenders hacked the ‘technically gifted’ Argentines. But, the consistency with which seven to eight Carlos Queiroz’s boys were present in the penetrative zone, every time a through pass went to the Argentine forwards was noteworthy.
Saturday’s game once again proved that the gap between the teams in the national stage has narrowed down substantially. Regular hours in the gym, weight-training and improved diet regimen have made the footballers so fit, that it has become impossible for the strikers to find easy space. Albeit, the technically-divine will continue to fox four men and score a sublime goal, but the instances will be numbered. Players sprinted 100 meters in less than 10 seconds; the same players now sprint back towards their own goal for defending. Also, stronger and faster midfielders with their strong tackles have made the job tougher for the goalscorers. The days of man-to-man marking are over, even for the Messis and the Ronaldos. Zonal marking is the order of the day. No single defender chased Lionel Messi for the full match. But whenever he got the ball, there were minimum three players around him.
The alarm bells didn’t ring when Argentina failed to score in the first 45 minutes with a 4-3-3 formation. Numerous times, we have seen small teams with a packed defence resisting attacks in the first half but in the second half a flurry of goals are scored. Diego Maradona, present in the gallery with his daughter wouldn’t have thought that a minnow like Iran will threaten the football pride of his country. Had Sergio Romero, not been as resilient under the post as the Iranian defence, Iran, the ‘rogue country’ would have been the toast of the football world by now!
But they say, heroes step up in the hardest of times, when the tide is flowing against them. If not now, then when? Lionel Messi played the last 15 minutes as if his personal pride was at stake. Till now, he had created many chances with some sublime passing and seen them wasted by his teammates. In the 91st minute when the words have gone out if yet another upset, the talismanic forward stepped up.
An innocuous looking attack from the right end of the field, which would have not been a part of any match report, was made magical by the Barcelona star. One false pass and the defender looked toward his right. The famous left foot then shot from the right-inside position which curled away from Haghighi, who had by now become the new Asian football star, and broke Iranian hearts.
Two matches, two goals and both of them in such a fashion which will make the ‘Messi legend’ stronger!
The Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi, with his performance last night, should seal a better deal in the next transfer season. He was in tears after the match. But his teammates should tell him that he did not lose to Argentina; he lost to the Lionel Messi!