Lionel Messi curled a stunning 91st-minute winner to send Argentina through to the World Cup knockout stage and rob the excellent Iran of a deserved point.
Iran spent much of the first half under pressure but more than once threatened to inflict what would have been a huge upset.
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Argentina's Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi scores stunning goal in stoppage time
Argentina's celebrations at the final whistle were wild and prolonged, while the sight of coach Alejandro Sabella embracing Messi at the tunnel gave an indication of what this meant to the two-time champions.
The build-up was dominated by talk of a rift between Messi and Sabella, the captain having expressed his displeasure at the 5-3-2 formation used in the first half againstBosnia and Hercegovina when Messi also scored the decisive goal.
Sabella duly reverted to the Barcelona forward's preferred 4-3-3 and was rewarded by his star man at the last.

Key facts

Argentina have won 11 and lost just one of their last 14 World Cup group games, scoring 27 and conceding just five in total in this run.
Iran attempted just 130 passes against Argentina, the fewest made by a team in a World Cup match since 1966.
Lionel Messi has now scored 40 goals for Argentina.
Iran looked devastated at the end but must take immense confidence from a performance that combined defensive resilience with attacking adventure - and from the knowledge they could still qualify.
Carlos Queiroz's men actually created the first meaningful chance when Jala Hosseini headed wide from Ashkan Dejagah's free-kick, although Argentina then assumed control.
Javier Mascherano and Fernando Gago provided a solid base for Angel Di Maria and full-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Marcos Rojo to support Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero.
Iran goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi displayed superb reflexes to foil Higuain and save one-handed from Aguero. Rojo then headed narrowly wide, Messi was off target with a free-kick and Ezequiel Garay nodded inches over the bar. The Iran fans celebrated every reprieve like a goal.

Analysis

Image of Neil LennonNeil LennonFormer Celtic manager on BBC Radio 5 live
"Lionel Messi is the difference in so many games and he's done it again. You know what he's going to do, take a step and curl it, but there's nothing the magnificent Iranians can do. It is just world class."
Argentina were meeting a wall of resistance every time they attacked but Iran's impressive defending ought to have been no surprise - they kept more clean sheets in qualifying than any team at the tournament. And when not thwarting the South Americans' forwards, Queiroz's team again came close to a goal of their own with another Hosseini header.
Iran's preparations for the competition had been hampered by political sanctions that affected their funding and ability to organise friendlies, but they looked fully prepared and again came close to taking a shock lead through Reza Ghoochannejhad.
Masoud Shojaei surged forward and fed Pejman Montazeri to cross for the Charlton Athletic striker, who would have scored had his header been aimed anywhere other than straight at Argentine keeper Sergio Romero.
But the chance served to further bolster Iran's self-belief and after Dejagah had a strong penalty claim rejected by referee Milorad Mazic, the Fulham man was thwarted by Romero's fingertips as he met another Montazeri cross with a powerful header.
Messi worked hard to swing the momentum back in Argentina's favour, slotting wide after a quick break and sending a free-kick into the side-netting, while Sabella introduced Rodrigo Palacio and Ezequiel Lavezzi in place of Aguero and Higuain as his side pushed hard for a winner.
Still chances came for Iran, however, Ghoochannejhad nearly stealing the win, only for Romero to make a diving stop - and that miss proved costly when captain Messi stepped up with a wonderful finish into the far corner to send Argentina through with a game to spare and keep them on course for a first World Cup since 1986.
Iran's Reza Ghoochannejhad reacts after a missed chance against Argentina
Iran had chances to take a surprise lead against Argentina, with Reza Ghoochannejhad denied by a save from Sergio Romero
Argentina fans pray
Argentina fans were seen praying as the clock ticked down with the game still goalless
Argentina forward Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in his last seven appearances for Argentina
Argentina forward Lionel Messi celebrates scoring against Iran
Argentina only had one more shot on target than Iran
Iran defender Pejman Montazeri reacts at the final whistle after his team's 1-0 defeat to Argentina
It was all too much for Iran defender Pejman Montazeri, whose reaction at the end told a story

LINEUP, BOOKINGS (2) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)

Argentina

  • 01 Romero
  • 04 Zabaleta
  • 16 Rojo
  • 14 Mascherano
  • 17 Fernández
  • 02 Garay
  • 05 Gago
  • 10 Messi
  • 20 Agüero (Lavezzi - 77' )
  • 09 Higuaín (Palacio - 77' )
  • 07 Di María (Biglia - 94' )

Substitutes

  • 03 Campagnaro
  • 06 Biglia
  • 08 Pérez
  • 11 Rodríguez
  • 12 Orión
  • 13 Fernández
  • 15 Demichelis
  • 18 Palacio
  • 19 Álvarez
  • 21 Andujar
  • 22 Lavezzi
  • 23 Basanta

Iran

  • 12 Haghighi
  • 15 Montazeri
  • 23 Pooladi
  • 06 Nekounam Booked
  • 04 Hosseini
  • 05 Sadeqi
  • 07 Shojaei Booked (Heydari - 77' )
  • 14 Teymourian
  • 16 Ghoochanneijhad
  • 03 Hajsafi (Haghighi - 88' )
  • 21 Dejagah (Jahanbakhsh - 85' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Ahmadi
  • 02 Heydari
  • 08 Haghighi
  • 09 Jahanbakhsh
  • 10 Ansarifard
  • 11 Haddadifar
  • 13 Mahini
  • 17 Alnameh
  • 18 Rahmani
  • 19 Beikzadeh
  • 20 Beitashour
  • 22 Davari
Ref: Milorad Mazic
Att: 57,698

MATCH STATS

Possession23%77%90minsArgentinaIran

Shots

218

On target

43

Corners

106

Fouls

714

Live Text Commentary

Full time
Full TimeMatch ends, Argentina 1, Iran 0.
90:00+4:32Full time
Full TimeSecond Half ends, Argentina 1, Iran 0.
90:00+3:42
Javier Mascherano (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90:00+3:42
Foul by Amir Hossein Sadeqi (Iran).
90:00+3:11Substitution
SubstitutionSubstitution, Argentina. Lucas Biglia replaces Ángel Di María.
90:00+0:29Goal scored
Goal!Goal! Argentina 1, Iran 0. Lionel Messi (Argentina) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ezequiel Lavezzi.
87:35
Federico Fernández (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
87:35
Foul by Reza Ghoochanneijhad (Iran).
87:18Substitution
SubstitutionSubstitution, Iran. Reza Haghighi replaces Ehsan Hajsafi.
85:43
Attempt saved. Reza Ghoochanneijhad (Iran) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Alireza Jahanbakhsh with a through ball.
85:28
Attempt missed. Marcos Rojo (Argentina) header from the centre of the box misses to the right following a corner.
85:13
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Jalal Hosseini.
84:24Substitution
SubstitutionSubstitution, Iran. Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Ashkan Dejagah.
83:43
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Alireza Haghighi.
83:41
Attempt missed. Rodrigo Palacio (Argentina) header from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Javier Mascherano.
82:32
Foul by Marcos Rojo (Argentina).
82:32
Reza Ghoochanneijhad (Iran) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
81:53
Attempt missed. Marcos Rojo (Argentina) left footed shot from long range on the right misses to the left. Assisted by Ezequiel Lavezzi following a corner.
81:14
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Mehrdad Pooladi.
79:42
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Pejman Montazeri.