Argentina have finished normal-time level at 1-1 with Mexico’s El Tri in the second round of the World Cup Finals in Leipzig on Saturday, after a thrilling 90 minutes that saw some great football from both sides, with the winner of this clash due to the face hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.

An early goal from Rafael Marquez in the 6th minute was cancelled out by Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo just five minutes later after Mexico came flying out of the traps.

The game started at a terrific pace, with Mexico forcing the Argentineans to defend right from the starting whistle, with the pressure all from Mexico in the opening minutes.

Mexico were awarded a corner early on, with Pavel Pardo’s corner-kick being touched on by Jose Fonseca, which was headed inches over the bar by Argentina defender Esteban Cambiasso to give the Albiceleste a scare.

Mexico’s pressure paid off, when in just the sixth minute, after almost continuous pressure from the Mexican’s, a free-kick from Pavel Pardo, which was headed-on by Jose Antonio Castro for the unmarked Rafael Marquez to slide in on at the far-post to give El Tricolore the lead.

Riquelme had a free-kick that hit the wall in the 9th minute, from the Albiceleste’s first real attack of the game, which earned a corner.

That led to a second corner which saw Hernan Crespo score after latching on to the slightest of touches from a defending header from Jared Borgetti that was already goal-bound, past the Mexico keeper Oswaldo Sanchez to equalise against the run-of-play.

The frantic pace continued with chances at both ends, with Crespo having an amazing opportunity to take the lead in the 22nd minute when he broke the Mexican offside-trap, but his flicked shot went agonisingly across the face of the goal.

Jared Borgetti forced a good save from Roberto Abbondanzieri in the 25th minute as both teams pressed for the lead.

Mexico were playing some excellent attacking football against a very strong Argentina, with Borgetti and Fonseca linking well to force some corners from the rattled South Americans.
Juan Roman Riquelme started to find his feet in the game and was playing-in some beautiful passes into dangerous area’s, but Mexico were defending well, with Sanchez never really being troubled again in the half.

The atmosphere in the stadium was deafening, with each attack from Argentina being met with whistles and cat-calls from the Mexican supporters.

Argentina were awarded a string of free-kicks for what can only be interpreted as dives that the referee failed to notice, but Mexico were defending to a man, and caused a constant threat on the attack.

Gerardo Torrado came on for Mexico’s free-kick specialist Pavel Pardo in the 38th minute, having suffered a slight strain to his knee.

Mexico had a couple of half-chances to get a breakthrough, with Borgetti having a chance on a one-on-one, but the ball ran away from him.

The game went into half-time 1-1, with Mexico just shading the possession and chances in the opening period.

The second-half continued at the same frenetic pace, with Jared Borgetti having a chance on goal snapped away from him by Juan Pablo Sorin as he was clear on goal.

Juan Riquelme was really getting into his stride for Argentina, playing a lovely through-ball for Javier Saviola, who broke through the Mexican defence, only for Sanchez to make a stunning save to deny him.

There was nothing to tell between the teams as the game reached the hour-mark as Argentina started the level the possession after the early dominance of the Mexicans.

Gonzalo Pineda came on for the injured Andres Guardado in the 66th minute, with the pace of the match slowing down.

With seventeen minutes of normal-time to play, Zinha came on for Ramon Morales as Mexico head coach Ricardo Lavolpe made his first tactical change of the match, with minutes later Argentina’s head coach Jose Pekerman making a double substitution with Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez coming-on for Cambiasso and Crespo.

Sanchez made a good block from Tevez as Argentina started to take control of the match, with Mexico reduced to attacking on the break.

Saviola came off in the 84th minute for Lionel Messi, who was out to make an impression on his 19th birthday, but Mexico weren’t to be beaten and came very close in the dying minutes of normal-time, with Jose Fonseca heading-wide after a great ball in from Pineda.

Both sides pushed for the winner with Argentina having a goal ruled offside in injury-time after a bad decision from the linesman and the game ended 1-1 in normal-time, with 30 minutes of extra-time to be played.