Argentina beats Belgium 1-0 to reach World Cup semifinals for 1st time since 1990

7/5/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Brazil-Soccer-WCup-Argentina-Belgium

    Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain, right, embraces Lionel Messi after he scored the opening goal against Belgium during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match today at Estadio Nacional in Brasilia, Brazil.

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • BRASILIA, Brazil — Gonzalo Higuain’s first goal of this World Cup sent Argentina into the semifinals on Saturday with a 1-0 win over a disappointing Belgium.

    Argentina, which hadn’t advanced past the World Cup quarterfinals since 1990, put in its best performance so far in the tournament, controlling the match after Higuain’s eighth minute goal.

    The Napoli striker fired home Angel Di Maria’s deflected pass just inside the area, beating Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a low shot to the far corner of the net.

    Higuain came close to making it 2-0 in the second half when his shot smashed into the crossbar.

    Belgium lacked the creativity to find a way past Argentina’s defensive line, and created few clear chances apart from a pair of headers by Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini.