Messi’s late goal breaks Iran’s heart

TEHRAN,June 22(MNA)-- Argentina earned a hard-fought victory over Iran in Group F of the 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on Saturday. Lionel Messi scored a late goal in the first minute of added time to give Argentina a 1-0 victory and six points from its two matches. Until then, Iranian keeper Alireza Haghighi had a clean sheet, allowing no goals for 180 minutes in two matches. Iran and Nigeria played to a goalless draw in their first match in Group F. Argentina’s Fernando Gago set up Gonzalo Higuain for a shot in the 13th minute, but Haghighi made a brilliant save. Haghighi also made a save to deny Sergio Aguero in the 22nd minute. Iran’s Reza Ghoochannejhad missed a great chance in the 53rd minute when his diving header was saved by Argentine keeper Sergio Romero. One minute later, Iran’s Ashkan Dejagah believed his side should have been awarded a penalty after Pablo Zabaleta brought him down in the penalty area. Messi could have scored on the hour mark but missed the chance. A shot by Argentina’s Angel Di Maria was saved by Haghighi and the keeper was able to hold the ball in the 66th minute. In the 68th minute, Dejagah chipped the ball over the Argentina goalkeeper with a header but Romero denied it. Ghoochannejhad missed the best chance of the match but Romero cleared his shot in the 86th minute. Finally, after the regulation time of 90 minutes ran out, Messi scored on a long shot from behind the penalty area that flew a few centimeters over Haghighi’s hands and into the net.