4) Spirited Panama surrender in the second half
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No one really expected them to cause Argentina any sort of hassle, but Panama relished their underdog status to give a really tough fight to their mightier rivals, only to give in during the final quarter of the game.
Los Canaleros did well to keep a high-pressing Albiceleste at bay during the initial stages and conceded the first goal only from a set-piece. They were soon a man down when Anibal Godoy was sent off just past the half-hour mark, but Panama remained unperturbed and continued to fight valiantly.
For a good 65 minutes, Argentina had their fair share of difficulties in finding the net but the introduction of Messi changed the dynamics of the game altogether. The 28-year-old ran riot to knock the stuffing out of an otherwise resilient Panama side, and all their hard work was undone when the numerical disadvantage finally got the better of them.
The scoreline may suggest a lop-sided affair but Hernan Dario’s troops didn’t go down without a fight.
