international at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf on
Wednesday, thanks to a stunning performance from
Angel di Maria.
The £59.7million Manchester United signing created
three goals and scored one as the South American
giants avoided a repeat of their World Cup final
defeat at the hands of Germany.
Di Maria was injured for that match at the
Maracana in Rio de Janeiro which Germany won
1-0 after extra-time, but he was at his best against
Die Mannschaft in Dusseldorf.
Argentina were without their star player Lionel
Messi due to injury for Wednesday's encounter, but
coach Gerardo Martino's starting line-up still had
some top players, including Di Maria, Sergio
Aguero, Javier Mascherano and Pablo Zabaleta.
Meanwhile, Germany coach Joachim Low left some
of his World Cup stars such as Mesut Ozil, Mats
Hummels, Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze on the
substitutes' bench, but his starting line-up was still
strong with Marco Reus and Toni Kroos both
present.
Both Germany and Argentina started the game well,
but it was the hosts who had the first chance of the
match in the seventh minute.
New Real Madrid signing Toni Kroos created the
opportunity with a lovely ball to send Mario Gomez
through on goal, but the Fiorentina striker's shot
was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
Di Maria could have punished the Germans for that
miss when he took an attempt on goal from the edge
of the box, but his left-footed volley went just over
the crossbar.
The 26-year-old winger was causing all sorts of
problems for Germany down the right-hand side
and was the architect of the visitors' opening goal on
20 minutes.
The former Real Madrid star delivered a perfect
cross with the outside of his left foot that
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero tapped in
from just yards out.
However, Argentina could have conceded the
equaliser just three minutes later had Kroos'
powerful shot from just outside the box not
narrowly gone wide.
The South American giants continued to press
forward, though, as Erik Lamela forced Manuel
Neuer into making a good save from a narrow angle,
before Gomez failed to get the better of Romero
after being wonderfully teed up by Reus in a very
good position.
Di Maria was the best player on the pitch in the first
half and could have scored Argentina's second goal
on the half-hour mark.
The former Benfica player galloped down the right,
skipped past a challenge and then shot on goal, but
his attempt was too weak to trouble Neuer.
Argentina did not have to wait long for their second
goal, though, and Di Maria was once again at the
heart of it.
The former Real Madrid attacker floated in a
brilliant cross from the right that Tottenham
Hotspur winger Lamela turned in with a sensational
first-time cushioned volley from inside the Germany
box.
Four-time world champions Germany, who were
looking threatening before they conceded the
second goal, could have pulled one back just before
the half-time interval.
Reus tested Romero with a powerful shot from
outside the box and the rebound fell to Gomez, who
once again missed the target from a good position.
Argentina did not have to wait long before regaining
their momentum in the second half and scored their
third goal just two minutes into the restart.
Di Maria floated in a well-measured free-kick from
the left flank that Federico Fernandez headed home
from just yards out past substitute goalkeeper
Roman Weidenfeller.
The United player himself scored Argentina's fourth
goal just three minutes later when he sprinted down
the right flank and got the better of Weidenfeller
with a beautiful chip.
The goals continued to come at the Esprit Arena, as
Andre Schurrle pulled one back for the Germans on
52 minutes.
The Chelsea forward's initial effort from a corner
was saved by Romero, but the 23-year-old made no
mistake from the rebound.
Argentina continued to create chances with Di Maria
the heartbeat of their every move, but it was
Germany who came closest to scoring the sixth goal
of the match with 16 minutes remaining when
Reus's effort came back off the post.
The 2014 World Cup winners did make it 4-2 just a
couple of minutes later thanks to an effort from
Mario Gotze that was deflected into his own goal by
Fernandez, but the evening belonged to Di Maria
and Argentina.
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