Veteran drag-flicker Taeke Taekema scored the first hat-trict of the tournament as the Netherlands blanked bottom-ranked Argentina 3-0 in their Pool A hockey World Cup match in New Delhi on Monday.
In another match, in Pool B, Korea beat England for their second victory in the tournament.
Argentina moved top as South America dominated the monthly FIFA rankings on Thursday with five teams, half of the continent's total, in the top 10.
After five misses in the World Cup's first penalty shootout, Argentina wisely practiced spot-kicks before flying to Sao Paulo for their last-16 clash with Switzerland.
Such is the focus on Lionel Messi in the countdown to the World Cup that even the slightest problem in training gets full blown local media coverage as with a scrape on Friday. The world's top player, practising with Diego Maradona's Argentina for the finals in South Africa that kick off on June 11, fell and suffered a minor scrape on his right leg at the team's training base outside Buenos Aires.
Paraguay's Lucas Barrios scored in the 90th minute to give his side a dramatic 2-2 draw against Argentina in the Copa America in Santiago, on Saturday.
Argentina's hopes of reaching the 2010 finals in South Africa could be severely limited this weekend, should the results of the South American World Cup qualifiers go to form. Diego Maradona's Argentina face Dunga's South American group leaders Brazil (27 points), who added the Confederations Cup in late June to their 2007 Copa America title.
Argentina reached their first World Cup final in 24 years on Wednesday, beating the Netherlands 4-2 on penalties after the first scoreless semi in the tournament's history, with old foes Germany awaiting them in Sunday's showpiece.
The announcement came amidst high tensions between the US and China.
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King on Tuesday said though Indian football has progressed extensively in the last few years, the country needed to spread the sport more effectively at the grassroots.
Argentina reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 24 years on Saturday when an early goal by Gonzalo Higuain and a strong defensive display proved enough to beat a disappointing Belgium side 1-0.
Argentina moved back into the top 10 of the FIFA rankings on Wednesday and Brazil also climbed, although the two South American giants were upstaged by tiny Sao Tome and Principe, who leapt 53 places.
Paraguay drew 1-1 with Uruguay at the Copa America to go top of Group B, one point ahead of Argentina before the tournament favourites take on eliminated Jamaica later on Saturday.
Spectators chanted "refund" after Messi stayed on the bench during the match.
Diego Maradona hit out at critics of his coaching after his Argentina team qualified for the World Cup on Wednesday and said he has issues to discuss with his boss. Argentina secured their berth at the 2010 finals in South Africa with a 1-0 away win over arch-rivals Uruguay at the Centenario, scene of the first World Cup final in 1930.
Alvarez tweeted that he got carried away and apologised to Messi and the people of Argentina.
Striker Carlos Tevez has been left out of the star-studded Argentina football squad led by Barcelona supertstar Lionel Messi for a friendly against Venezuela, to be played at the Salt Lake Stadium on September 2.
Saudi Arabia announced it would bid only minutes after soccer's global governing body called for Asia and Oceania bids on October 4.
Argentina's friendly against Brazil was abandoned before kickoff due to a floodlight failure at the Centenario stadium in the northern city of Resistencia on Wednesday.
Eight years is a long time in the life of an athlete. But just like Messi, Di Maria has preserved and persisted towards his childhood dream, points out Deepti Patwardhan.
In total, he has scored 788 career goals.
The historic Maracana stadium has hosted two World Cup finals, in 1950 and 2014, and saw Messi and his squad become 2021 Copa America champions by beating Brazil 1-0.
Defending champions Germany scraped past plucky Argentina 4-3 in a Pool A match of the men's hockey World Cup match at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium in Delhi on Friday night.
Lionel Messi says Argentina have felt the presence of the late, great Diego Maradona throughout their World Cup campaign, including on Friday when they beat the Netherlands on penalties to reach the semi-finals.
'For India For Indian comedy. Every breath, every word.'
A sense of euphoria was in the air in the country, particularly in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, where thousands of jubilant fans crowded to watch the match on a giant screen in the park.
Diego Maradona, unhappy with interference in his job as Argentina coach, will review his position after their final World Cup qualifier away to Uruguay in Montevideo next week, he said on Tuesday.
Summary of the South American World Cup qualifiers played on Thursday
Favourites Argentina, one game away from their first Olympic soccer title, are laying the foundations for a new era of international success in Greece.
An overview of contenders in the race for top scorer at the 2022 World Cup.
Argentina, who would have made sure of their place in Germany if they had won, lost 0-2.
"Our team fulfils our dreams!" and "Where is Messi? We beat him!", the green-clad Saudis chanted over and over in the Lusail Stadium, on their feet and greeting every clearance, including one headed off the goal line with a deafening roar.
Lionel Messi's Argentina brushed aside Paraguay 3-1 to go top of the South American 2014 World Cup qualifiers at the Mario Kempes stadium on Friday.
Beaten and bored by "ordinary" Argentina, Belgium coach Marc Wilmots said he was less than impressed by a team that ended his side's World Cup hopes on Saturday.
Belgium pointed to Eden Hazard as a potential match winner as they laid out a strategy to combat Lionel Messi and Argentina when they meet in their World Cup quarter-final in Brasilia on Saturday.
These heart-rendering moments were grace personified and will stay in the memory of every football fan, irrespective of allegiances.
World Cup contenders Argentina arrived in Brazil with high hopes but Saturday's last-gasp win over underdogs Iran exposed deficiencies within the team that need rapid improvement if they are to mount a realistic title bid.
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