Nicolas Gonzalez News: Assists off bench in WC opener

Gonzalez (strain) delivered one assist from his lone scoring chance created as a substitute in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Algeria.

Gonzalez regained fitness in time to appear in the initial World Cup clash, replacing Thiago Almada in the 55th minute. Shortly after that, the 28-year-old set up Lionel Messi's third goal through a low pass, opening his assisting count in the big event. Gonzalez should now be a serious contender for the starting spot on the left flank, where he's a dangerous distributor and may also rack up occasional shots as part of a dominant side.