Argentina leave it late to progress to the 2018 World Cup knockout stages

Argentina progressed to the knockout quarterfinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup by the skin of their teeth after beating Nigeria 2-1 in a hotly contested match.

While Lionel Messi helped put Argentina ahead first, it was defender Marcos Rojo who helped them seal the deal with an 86th minute strike and eliminate the African side.

Croatia advanced as winners of Group D with the maximum nine points after beating Iceland 2-1. Nigeria were just minutes away from joining them before central defender Rojo superbly volleyed home a Gabriel Mercado cross from the right.

Messi had put Argentina ahead in the 14th, with a fabulously taken goal but the Africans equalised through a Victor Moses penalty in the 51st and the twice World Cup winners struggled to respond to that setback with a ragged second half display.

The game began in ideal fashion for Jorge Sampaoli’s Argentina, who had managed just a point from their opening two games.

A perfectly weighted diagonal ball over the top by Ever Banega was sublimely brought down on the outside of his thigh by Messi who then drove past Nigeria’s teenage keeper Francis Uzoho to open the scoring.

The selection of Banega proved to be an inspired one by Sampaoli with the Sevilla midfielder providing the quality service that had been lacking in their opening two games.

It had been an impressive half from Argentina but the game was to take a twist shortly after the interval.

Defending a corner, Argentine defender Javier Mascherano jockeyed Leon Balogun inside the area and when the Nigerian fell to the floor, Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir awarded a penalty.

After lengthy and impassioned protests from the Argentinian players, Moses managed to keep his cool and slot past Franco Armani to level the scores.

Nigeria wasted several chances to add a second and secure their place in the last 16 before the unlikely source of Manchester United central defender Rojo kept Argentina’s tournament alive and left Nigeria in despair.

Argentina will face France in the next round while Croatia take on Denmark.