The wrong decision of a linesman and the non-use of video evidence was again a talking point in Sunday’s second round of 16 match at the 2010 World Cup. But again, the attacking force of the team it benefited – Argentina – arguably outweighed the unfair advantage they were handed by the officials.

That decision aside, Carlos Tevez was in devastating form and contributed the killer goal in his team’s 3-1 win over Mexico. But his first sparked fury when it became clear he was a good three yards offside, having latched onto a Lionel Messi flick after his first effort had been blocked by goalkeeper Oscar Perez.

Everyone in the ground, including aggrieved players and the match officials themselves, saw the wrong call on the big screens in Soccer City. But the evidence, which the referee isn’t allowed to use under Fifa’s rules, came too late to save Mexico from slipping a goal behind.

Over the piece, Argentina’s attacking play more than merited their win against Javier Aguirre’s team. Tevez's second came after a defensive slip up handed Gonzalo Higuain the second goal of the match for Diego Maradona's side. Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez scored a consolation with 20 minutes to go for Mexico but they were unable to find a way through against a resilient Argentine backline.

But Mexico were not without their chances, showing enough in the opening stages to suggest they weren’t in the last 16 simply to make up the numbers. Impressive in the group stages going forward, they almost took the lead with what would have been the goal of the tournament.

Carlos Salcido, picking up the ball a good 40 yards from goal on the inside left, unexpectedly let fly when he found room with the sort of effort which would have most fans cursing its waste. But the PSV defender’s speculative drive with his right boot almost brought joy, with goalkeeper Sergio Romero having to desperately tip the ball onto his crossbar before it bounced clear.
 
Argentina were starting to look menacing if not penetrative but then, 25 minutes in, came the moment of controversy. Messi picked the ball up deep in the Mexico half, driving forward before feeding the ball to Tevez, who advanced on Perez.

The Mexico keeper was sharp off his line to block the ball at the striker’s feet but succeeded only in handing it back to Messi, who lobbed the ball goalwards. On hand was Tevez, well ahead of the two defenders who had assembled after the first effort was blocked, to head the ball home into the empty net.

Amongst the Argentine celebrations, chaos ensued on the opposite side of the field. Already convinced Tevez was well offside, nine Mexico players crowded around the linesman, who stood by his call to award the goal.

Referee Roberto Rosetti consulted his assistant, who confirmed his decision to the man in the middle. However, the big screens in the Soccer City stadium showed a replay of the incident, infuriating the Mexico players who then surrounded the two officials again.

Realising they had made the wrong call, Rosetti and his assistant were then also surrounded by Argentina players concerned they were going to use the replay as cause to disallow Tevez’s strike. As it was, they chose to stick to the letter of the law and the controversial goal was allowed to stand – with the whole debacle rumbling on far longer than it would have taken to review such a call of video evidence was part of Fifa’s laws.

A rattled Mexico flew into tackles soon after as their anger overflowed but, within just six more minutes, their disappointment was to increase twofold with a goal fortunately more legitimate than the first but equally as farcical. Ricardo Osorio’s concentration was clearly still on the wane as he played a slack pass back across defence, not spotting Higuain to his left, who couldn’t believe his luck to be presented with a clear run at goal from 20 yards.

The Real Madrid striker, a hat-trick scorer in the group stage match with South Korea, added to his tally by shrugging off the attentions of a desperate Rosario, rounding Perez and side footing home to extend his team’s advantage.

Mexico were fortunate to get into the break without slipping even further behind, with Higuain passing up a golden chance to make it three just before the whistle. But it mattered not as, despite the team two goals behind dominating possession at the start of the second half, they were to suffer yet another blow soon after.

Seven minutes after the restart, it was game, set and match to Maradona’s side. Picking up Heinze’s pass from the left wing, Tevez saw his initial shot from 30 yards blocked. Rebounding through the legs of the Mexican defender, the forward made full use of the space from a similar distance to unleash an unstoppable right foot shot from the middle of the park, which slammed into the right of a helpless Perez’s net.

That finish ended the game as a contest, with the Argentina manager withdrawing a clearly unhappy Tevez with 20 minutes left when he would have preferred to remain on the park and pursue his hat-trick.

Two minutes after his withdrawal, the man charged with trying to fill the hole Tevez left at Old Trafford over a year ago bagged a goal for Mexico. Hernandez, who has shown plenty promise to Manchester United fans with his form in this World Cup, collected Torrado’s pass with his back to goal with his feet planted on the 18-yard line.

Spinning his marker by dropping his right shoulder, Hernandez surged into the box on the left side, taking a further touch before lashing the ball into the roof of Romero’s net at the near post.

Argentina though were professional enough to see the game out, restricting their opponents to long range efforts and almost adding to their tally when Messi, still searching for a World Cup goal, slalomed through the Mexican backline. His shot from the edge of the area looked to have looped over Perez but the diminutive keeper was alert enough to tip the ball over the crossbar.