Given space and time, the FC Barcelona prodigy was a joy to watch by the
sellout crowd of 48,000. He had been out injured in the closing stages of his
European club season, and he showed an eagerness wanted to make up for time
lost.
In the 10th minute, he picked out a run of Esteban Cambiasso and sent the
Inter Milan midfielder through the heart of the Dutch defense, forcing Khalid
Boulahrouz into a goal-saving tackle.
In the 33rd minute, he set up Maxi Rodriguez on the opposite right side, but
his shot went into the side netting.
Just ahead of the halftime whistle, he took on the whole Dutch defense on his
own, and his 20-meter (yard) shot whistled wide past Van der Sar.
In the stands, Maradona was shouting the new star of the Albiceleste toward
goal. When the going was that good, thousands of Argentine fans were singing
"Ole, Ole, Ole, Ola, Argentina cada dia te quiero mas," or "Argentina, I love
you more every day."
For the first time at the World Cup, even the Dutch fans were thoroughly
outperformed.
On set pieces, Argentina still goes with Juan Roman Riquelme and, even there,
Messi had his impact.
Once Riquelme realized the Dutch were too tall for crosses, he sent a low one
into the box, and there Messi pressured to the extent that Boulahrouz pushed the
ball onto his own post.
In reply, the Dutch could do little. Its only chance came when defender
Nicolas Burdisso gave the ball away to Dirk Kuyt and the forward failed to pick
out the open Rafael van der Vaart in the center and fired straight at Roberto
Abbondanzieri from too tight an angle.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was replaced in the 55th minute, totally in the grip of
an ironclad defense.
Perhaps the only weakness of Argentina was on show late in the game.
Suddenly, the Dutch started outrunning them and for the only time in the game,
pressured the defense.
