He may have suffered what looked suspiciously like a concussion earlier in the game, but Javier Mascherano made a match saving block right at the death vs the Netherlands during their semi-final.
Robben had latched onto a clever through-ball and looked odds-on to win it, with what would probably have been the final chance in the 90 minutes.
Mascherano’s blocked ensured extra time, and then penalties which Argentina went on to win 4-2.
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[…] concussion, once again a player with a serious head injury played on. Mascherano went on to make a match saving block, but at what […]
Mascherano pulled off the greatest save as a fullback of all time in a World Cup match.
I have watched World Cup matches on films and on TV since the World Cup of 1958 in Sweden.
I have not seen a better save from a defender ever:
given the occasion – a place in the World Cup final;
the point in time -a few moments to final whistle;
the difficulty of the flashy fast-moving play;
fast nippy jinks of Robben, his absolute focus of knowing he had goal point-blank at his mercy;
inside the penalty box situation;
the goalkeeper out of position and Robben’s vaunted accuracy in front of goal face situations;
the tackle from almost behind Robben and to his right;
Mascherano’s right boot sliding at perfect speed and coordination to Robben’s left foot (lefty) as he makes contact for what even Robben thought was a certain goal;
the perfection of the tackle was such that it was pure boot on ball and no possibility of a foul which would have meant a penalty and a red card.
Superb and wonderbar.