<p>Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella was left ruing his side’s failure to take their chances after the South Americans’ World Cup final defeat by Germany here on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Gonzalo Higuain missed a glorious first-half chance to put Argentina 1-0 ahead, while Lionel Messi also squandered a good opening early in the second half.<br /><br />Instead Germany, who controlled possession, struck an extra-time winner through Mario Goetze.<br /><br />“It was a very balanced game,” Sabella said. “They had more possession, but we had more cutting edge, more chances.<br /><br />“When there are chances in a game that is so evenly balanced, you have to take them. We lacked a bit of efficiency.”<br /><br />Sabella, meanwhile, praised his players for recovering from a gruelling semifinal against the Netherlands to take Germany all the way to the wire.<br /><br />“We played a day later and extra time, and the only thing I can do is congratulate my players,” he said.<br /><br />“The work they did was extraordinary and we also congratulate Germany.”<br /><br />Argentina were bidding to claim a first title since 1986, but although they fell short, Sabella said they had done everything in their power to win.<br /><br />“It is very bitter,” he said. “We had a great team to get to the final and obviously we wanted to win. To be perfect, we needed to be more efficient.<br /><br />“I am sad for the players, for the normal pain of losing, but also satisfied, because we have an extraordinary group that gave everything.<br /><br />“They were warriors, at least in the football sense. I congratulate them, obviously, because there is nothing else to do.<br /><br />“A coach always has to judge the performance, which I think was very good, and above all the effort. They gave every last bead of sweat for Argentina.”<br /><br />Sabella added: “Bearing in mind the opponent and the circumstance of playing a day later, it was our best game.<br /><br />“After 24 years, the players made history. They didn’t win the gold, but they won the silver. We go away with a bittersweet taste. “It is a double sensation. One of sadness, because when you get to a final, you want to win, but also of satisfaction, because the players gave everything. You can’t criticise them for anything.”</p>
<p>Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella was left ruing his side’s failure to take their chances after the South Americans’ World Cup final defeat by Germany here on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Gonzalo Higuain missed a glorious first-half chance to put Argentina 1-0 ahead, while Lionel Messi also squandered a good opening early in the second half.<br /><br />Instead Germany, who controlled possession, struck an extra-time winner through Mario Goetze.<br /><br />“It was a very balanced game,” Sabella said. “They had more possession, but we had more cutting edge, more chances.<br /><br />“When there are chances in a game that is so evenly balanced, you have to take them. We lacked a bit of efficiency.”<br /><br />Sabella, meanwhile, praised his players for recovering from a gruelling semifinal against the Netherlands to take Germany all the way to the wire.<br /><br />“We played a day later and extra time, and the only thing I can do is congratulate my players,” he said.<br /><br />“The work they did was extraordinary and we also congratulate Germany.”<br /><br />Argentina were bidding to claim a first title since 1986, but although they fell short, Sabella said they had done everything in their power to win.<br /><br />“It is very bitter,” he said. “We had a great team to get to the final and obviously we wanted to win. To be perfect, we needed to be more efficient.<br /><br />“I am sad for the players, for the normal pain of losing, but also satisfied, because we have an extraordinary group that gave everything.<br /><br />“They were warriors, at least in the football sense. I congratulate them, obviously, because there is nothing else to do.<br /><br />“A coach always has to judge the performance, which I think was very good, and above all the effort. They gave every last bead of sweat for Argentina.”<br /><br />Sabella added: “Bearing in mind the opponent and the circumstance of playing a day later, it was our best game.<br /><br />“After 24 years, the players made history. They didn’t win the gold, but they won the silver. We go away with a bittersweet taste. “It is a double sensation. One of sadness, because when you get to a final, you want to win, but also of satisfaction, because the players gave everything. You can’t criticise them for anything.”</p>