ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — So where did this Argentina come from?
For nearly two years, one of the world’s great soccer powers had been largely missing in action. The team stumbled through qualifying and appeared lost in its first two matches in Russia, a disappointing draw with tiny Iceland and a thorough beating from Croatia.
Then Tuesday night happened. Here, for all but a handful of minutes, was the Argentina with the unstoppable striker, the stifling midfield, and the lightning quick attacks, all of which combined to deliver a thrilling 2-1 win over Nigeria on a night when there was no margin for error.
The moment that made it all possible came in the 86th minute, when Marcos Rojo’s volley off a picture-perfect centering pass from Gabriel Mercado, rescued Argentina’s World Cup when it looked as though all was lost.
“A huge relief,” Lionel Messi said when it was over. “We knew it was going to be a difficult afternoon. We didn’t think we were going to suffer as much as we did.”
Rojo’s goal sent the tens of thousands of Argentina’s faithful who had traveled so far north into a wild, deafening celebration, a series of cheers and songs and dance that lasted well into the pale blue St. Petersburg night. Sitting in a box midway up the stands, the legendary Diego Maradona leapt in celebration then flipped a double-bird toward the field at who knows what.
