LUSAIL, Qatar — A swivel of the hips, just enough to force the defender off balance. There was the glimmer, the sliver of space required. One touch to roll the ball to the right spot, and another to send it arcing and sweeping past Guillermo Ochoa’s outstretched arm.
In the stands above, the Argentina flags twirled in the air. On the field, Argentina’s players raced over in jubilation. They were chasing after the player who had settled their nerves, who had ensured that their World Cup would go into a second week, who had kept everything alive for now.