" Argentina's forward and captain Lionel Messi (C) celebrates with teammates after winning the quarterfinal football match between Argentina and Belgium at the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 5 Cheap Brett Kern Jersey , 2014. Players and Referees pose with a banner with the slogan of ""FIFA Say No To Racism"" prior to a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5, 2014.(XinhuaLi Ming) Argentina's players pose for a group photo before a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5 Cheap Jurrell Casey Jersey , 2014.(XinhuaQi Heng) Belgium's players pose for a group photo before a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5, 2014.(XinhuaQi Heng) Argentina's captain Lionel Messi (2nd L) and Belgium's captain Vincent Kompany (2nd R) pose with the referees prior to a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5 Cheap Ryan Succop Jersey , 2014.(XinhuaLiu Bin) Argentina's Lionel Messi vies with Belgium's Kevin Mirallas during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5, 2014.(XinhuaLiu Dawei) Argentina's Pablo Zabaleta vies with Belgium's Eden Hazard during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5 Cheap Wesley Woodyard Jersey , 2014.(XinhuaLiu Dawei) Argentina's Lionel Messi vies with Belgium's Axel Witsel during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5, 2014.(XinhuaLiu Dawei) Argentina's Ezequiel Lavezzi (L) controls the ball during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5 Cheap DaQuan Jones Jersey , 2014.(XinhuaLiu Bin) Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain (C) celebrates the goal during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5, 2014.(XinhuaLiu Dawei) Belgium's Vincent Kompany (front) competes for a header during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5 Cheap Ben Jones Jersey , 2014.(XinhuaLi Ming) Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain (R) celebrates the goal during a quarter-finals match between Argentina and Belgium of 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, on July 5, 2014.(XinhuaLiu Dawei) FOR once Lionel Messi didn't carry Argentina on his shoulders.
He didn't have to.
Gonzalo Higuain ended a four-game scoreless streak with an early winner as Argentina beat Belgium 1-0 and reached a World Cup semifinal match for the first time since 1990.
""Since the first game of this World Cup I said I was calm, that the goals would come. It came and at an important moment,"" Higuain said. ""It's been so many years since we made it to the semifinals. Now we did.""
Higuain came into the World Cup still recovering from an ankle injury that had sidelined him since early May. The 26-year-old Napoli striker looked out-of-form in the group stage and wasn't giving Argentina the edge it needed in the penalty area.
That changed in the eighth minute of the game in Brasilia Cheap Brian Orakpo Jersey , as he picked up a deflected pass from Angel Di Maria just inside the area and beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a half-volley toward the far post.
""Higuain has the class to put the ball where he wants it. There is nothing we could do about it,"" Courtois said.
A poor consolation for the Belgium goalkeeper was that he once again kept Messi from scoring, as he had done in seven straight matches at club level.
The Argentina captain missed a chance to get his fifth goal of the tournament when he failed to beat Courtois in stoppage time.
Argentina's next opponent will be the winner of the last quarterfinal between the Netherlands and Costa Rica, who were playing later Saturday in Salvador.
Buoyed by the melodic chants of its fans, Argentina protected its lead thanks to a near-flawless defensive line, bolstered by strong performances from central midfielders Javier Mascherano and Lucas Biglia.
Belgium lacked the imagination to find a way into the final third of the pitch Cheap Taylor Lewan Jersey , and created few clear chances apart from a pair of headers by Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini.
Belgium's most creative player, Eden Hazard, had little impact on the game beyond receiving a yellow card