World Cup 2014: 'Genius' Lionel Messi fires Argentina into the knock-out rounds with 91st-minute strike

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella hails Barcelona forward after his side struggle to breakdown a well-drilled Iranian side

One of the great iconoclastic World Cup performances was about to reward Iran with a point when a familiar figure collected the ball on the edge of their penalty area in added time. Lionel Messi tapped it to his left and bent a shot that fired Argentina into the knock-out rounds. In all the variables, great players remain the single most important factor in determining outcomes.

“Of course we have a genius. He’s Argentinian. He’s in our team. Everyone would like to have one,” boasted Alejandro Sabella, the coach, who deferred in the Bosnia-Herzegovina game to his superstar’s wish to play 4-3-3 rather than 5-3-2.

This transformative strike against an Iran side who have now planted their flag in World Cup football sent joy pulsing through Argentina’s followers, who jigged and twirled flags in celebration of a great escape.

Messi had scored much the same goal against Bosnia, cutting across the box and picking a spot no less precisely than a darts player. His icy talent was finally too much for Iran, who had screened and double-teamed Argentina’s finest players into a dead-end.

Everyone understood the significance of the ball’s curve beyond Alireza Haghighi. They had seen it hundreds of times at Barcelona. You shut Messi down for 89 minutes. You tackle him 30 times. You think you have locked him up. But he just needs one squeak of a chance. The lethal vision is ever present. The boot will provide the execution. A pass from the right, a dart to the left, the teeing-up of the shot: game over.