Frankfurt, Germany – Argentina doesn’t score at will all the time. It even looked a tad tired at the end after another dominating performance.
A 0-0 draw with the Netherlands on Wednesday took away Argentina’s perfect record at the World Cup. But a masterful performance by World Cup rookies Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez will make Argentina an overwhelming favorite in Saturday’s second-round match against Mexico.
“I know we are still lacking. I know we will compensate for that in the coming three days,” Argentina coach Jose Pekerman said.
After a virtuoso performance in a 6-0 win against Serbia and Montenegro, a tightly organized Dutch defense and masterful goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar kept the Argentines scoreless.
“The only thing we lacked were goals,” Tevez said. “We did everything right and for some reason we were unable to score.”
It was the fifth 0-0 game in the first round, tying the Cup record for an opening round, set in 1974.
“We fought well as a team and even had some chances at the end,” said coach Marco Van Basten, whose team faces Portugal in a second-round match Sunday in Nuremberg.
Both teams sat several key players, giving center stage to the 18-year-old Messi, who made his debut as a World Cup starter and did everything but give Argentina a victory. Messi, who played 69 minutes, set up chances for teammates, tested the inexperienced Dutch defense and showed skills a precious few players possess.
All that time, Dutch winger Arjen Robben, the team’s star in its first two games, was on the bench, saving his strength for the second round. The Dutch sat five starters for the game, the Argentines four as both teams were already sure to advance.
In his Dutch record-equaling 112th international, Edwin van der Sar produced the save of the match, a one-handed dive to swipe out a 20-yard drive from Tevez in the 74th minute.
“We had our hands full,” Van Basten said. “We played against one of the top teams in the world, and we survived.”
IRAN 1, ANGOLA 1 at Leipzig: Needing a win to have any chance to advance, the Black Antelopes scored their first goal of the tournament but were held to a draw when Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh scored the tying goal on a header in the 75th minute for Iran.
“When we arrived with the team, the first idea that we would suffer many goals didn’t happen,” Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves said. “With two draws … the people of Angola can be very, very proud.”
To advance, Angola needed to beat Iran, have Mexico lose to Portugal and get help on goal differential. They were unable to deliver the one part they fully controlled. The Angolans finished their first World Cup in third place in Group D with two points, one ahead of Iran.
Substitute Flavio gave Angola the lead in the 60th minute when he broke free from Kaabi Hossein in the penalty box to head a cross from Ze Kalanga over goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour.
IVORY COAST 3, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO 2 at Munich: After kissing the ball, Bonaventure Kalou converted a penalty shot in the 86th minute to clinch strife-torn Ivory Coast’s first Cup victory, capping a comeback from a two-goal deficit.
Today’s games
Ghana vs. United States, 8 a.m., ESPN, KCEC-50
Czech Republic vs. Italy, 8 a.m., ESPN2, KTVJ-14
Brazil vs. Japan, 1 p.m., ESPN, KCEC-50
Australia vs. Croatia, 1 p.m., ESPN2, KTVJ-14
