Beiruting News

If, after two hours of doggedly repetitive effort, you don't succeed: try, try again. On the evidence of this gruelling and occasionally claustrophobic World Cup last-16 tie, if you've got a nimble-footed creative genius of a No10 in your team, the chances are it's going to come off in the end.

With Argentina and Switzerland still goalless after 117 minutes in São Paulo, Lionel Messi picked the ball up, as he had many times already, in a central position 40 yards from the Swiss goal. This time there was a genuine pocket of space in front of him and Messi spotted the moment, as he has with uncanny timing at thisWorld Cup.

For a while, with penalties looming and both teams visibly tiring, it was Switzerland who had the locals on their feet shouting "olé" in taunting fashion as Shaqiri produced some entertaining nutmegs. Until that is that clinching intervention at the last from Argentina's relentless No10, capped by Di María's fine finish.