Argentina had no real hiccups in topping the Group E, as they went past Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria comfortably in group stage to secure nine points. Lionel Messi may not have been in best of touch going by his standards but he still has lift his team up with some exhilarating performances ,like the last minute match winning goal against a dogged Iranian side.
Switzerland did well to defeat Ecuador and Honduras, but in-between lost badly to France by a margin of 2-5. Xherdan Shaqiri’s hat-trick against Ecuador was highlight of the group stage for Switzerland helping them enter the last 16. As these two teams face each other with an eye on quarter-finals we bring to you some facts.
1) Switzerland have some work to do as Argentina have been knocked out only once in their previous six matches at the round of 16. In 1994 Romania defeated them 3-2.
2) Argentina’s main man Lionel Messi has netted 24 goals in last 23 outings for his national side. He surely is ‘’messi-merizing’’ on the football filed.
3) There is a record on offer for Messi as he can become the first Argentine to score in four successive World Cup matches since Guillermo Stabile did it in the inaugural tournament in 1930.
4) Staying with the magical Messi, Argentina are unbeaten in the last 24 games in which Messi featured winning 17 and drawing seven. One mantra for Argentina Messi in, defeat out.
5) The history is not so good in fact it is worst for Switzerland when it comes to second-stage of the World Cup as they have never won a game at a later stage of the tournament.
6) Switzerland have twice won knockout matches but that was way back in 1938 against Germany and in 1954 against Italy. But, these knockout games were played in the first round back then.
7) Xherdan Shaqiri scored the first left-footed hat-trick in World Cup history in the 3-0 win against Honduras. No doubt why they call him “The Lionel Messi of the Alps”. It was also the 50th hat-trick at a World Cup.
8) Here is one more from the hat-trick club, last time these two teams met in February 2012 Messi scored a hat-trick in 3-1 win.
9) Head to head out of six matches Argentina have won four against Switzerland while two resulted in draws. In these six games Argentina have scored 14 goals while Switzerland just three.
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