Argentina are through to the semi-finals for the first time since Italia ’90, returning to a stage where they belong but had missed participating in despite the reams of stars who have donned the Albiceleste in the last 24 years. Despite their slight superiority when in possession of the ball, the Belgians were unable to breach a tactically perfect Argentina, who took an early lead thanks to Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuaín, who was also man of the match.

Immediately after the game Belgium coach Marc Wilmots railed against the refereeing and Argentine timewasting, but a more objective analysis would have to conclude that Argentina played almost the perfect game, facilitated by the deflection that took the ball into Higuaín’s path that allowed him to score the game’s only goal.

Higuaín’s Napoli teammate Fernández was dropped from the starting eleven, whose place was taken by Man City veteran Martín Demichelis. Serie A player Lucas Biglia, who just finished his debut season at Lazio, made his first start in the tournament, usually appearing after the 90th minute. Lucas Biglia is well known to the Belgians, having played for 7 seasons at Belgian heavyweights Anderlecht in Brussels. Napoli’s Dries Mertens was demoted to the bench to try and recapture his status of ‘supersub’.

The changes made by Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella seem to have solved the defensive weaknesses that were evident against Switzerland. The Belgian attack, much stronger than the Swiss, was unable to produce a single clear cut chance against two defensive lines. A back four including the more dependable Demichelis was shielded permanently by two defensive midfielders, becoming three and then four as the game wore on. Biglia was a key element in this shield, replacing the more artful Fernando Gago. Biglia was not able to develop the play when he got on the ball, frequently losing it, but blocked every man and ball that tried to go past him. He was unfairly booked near the end of the game by the Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli, as Jan Vertonghen stamped on Biglia’s foot, immobilising him, rather than Biglia obstructing the Belgian’s progress.

Higuaín has been heavily criticised by the Argentinian press before the game and his teammates have defended him, saying he is working for the team. His performance against Belgium needed no defence as he scored with a clinical shot into the bottom corner, held up the ball valiantly winning several key fouls to ease pressure and could have scored a second when he sensationally beat Kompany with a nutmeg, his subsequent shot striking the crossbar having beaten the Belgian goalkeeper. Higuaín was replaced in the 81st minute for the more defensive Gago.

Dries Mertens had to wait until the 60th minute to enter the fray, replacing the ineffectual Kevin Mirallas, but was unable to have his usual impact from the bench. Romelu Lukaku entered the pitch with him and as they were both acclimatising to the pace of the game neither could get the other on the ball. Unfortunately for Mertens, he goes home without making any influence on the final game. A distinctly negative aspect of his game, notably different from his performances for Napoli, was the quality of set piece delivery. Belgium have never threatened from set pieces and this is partly Mertens’ responsibility. Chose to shoot from a free kick near the end when a cross was surely the better option.

In truth, Belgium never threatened in the slightest until centre back Daniel Van Buyten was moved up to centre forward for the last ten minutes, next to Lukaku and in front of Marouane Fellaini. Demichelis is not a vulnerable centre back as long as there is an organised defence around him, but when he has to start competing for headers with giants like the aforementioned trio, he will struggle. All of Belgium’s chances in the dying minutes stemmed from this tactic and they were therefore open to the counter attack. To this end Sabella introduced Inter’s Rodrigo Palacio, on 71 minutes, to put a physical presence next to the lone Lionel Messi while the rest of the defence stayed behind the ball.

Ultimately Argentina delivered a flawless performance, doing precisely what was needed for the victory, but it was not a performance that will have the world shaking, nor will it stop criticism from Maradona that the team does not attack. Ironically, it may be that the weakest Argentine team since 1990 not only reaches the last four, but considering the lack of invincibility of any possible opponents and the fact that the undisputed best player in the contest is their number ten, 2014 could be their year.