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RIO DE JANEIRO. — They are almost there. Argentina are a step closer to ensuring Brazil’s worst nightmare becomes a reality. They managed to overcome a determined Netherlands side to secure a place in the World Cup soccer final against Germany tomorrow at the Maracana. Beat Germany, which will be no mean feat, and Brazil will have to endure the ignominy of seeing their fiercest rivals collect football’s greatest prize in their own backyard.

Sergio Romero will likely receive the plaudits for getting Argentina there. He did, to be fair, save two penalties in the shootout that Argentina won 4-2.

However, the game’s most telling intervention came in the 90th minute of the game. Arjen Robben exchanged passes with Wesley Sneijder on the edge of the box to bear down on the goal of Romero. The scene was set: after an hour-and-a-half of pretty turgid football, one decisive swing of the Bayern man’s leg would send the Dutch into a consecutive final.

The swing of the foot came but it was not decisive. For Javier Mascherano came marauding across the box to expertly slide in and avert the danger. The game went to extra-time and penalties. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Only history will probably not recount the fact that it was Mascherano who ensured that it went to extra-time at all.

History will only recount the heroics of Romero. It is a recurring narrative for Mascherano – one that has run through this tournament.

For, if Argentina do claim a third world title, it is almost certain that it will be remembered as Messi’s World Cup; the moment he joined the pantheon of greats by dragging an average Argentina team to an improbable win.

That fact does a huge disservice to this Argentina team and in particular to Mascherano. Yes, this team is built around Messi but, almost more significantly, it is built on Mascherano.

However, the lavishly talented Mascherano is used to neglect; always the bridesmaid but never the bride.

At club level, he has been converted into a polished centre-back for Barcelona but this World Cup has once again shown that he is an almost peerless midfielder and certainly a uniquely talented one. — Eurosport.