Argentina are through to the finals of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This is the second finals appearance Lionel Messi has led them since 2014 when they lost to Germany.
Messi’s lifetime ambition to win the World has received a boost. But for Luka Modric, 37, his dreams to lift the World Cup have crashed. Argentina holds a record of never having lost a semi-final game in the FIFA World Cup.
Argentina and Croatia
have a head-to-head record of five meetings with Argentina winning two while
Croatia also won two. Their first meeting ended in a draw.
La Albiceleste now have the head-to-head advantage after defeating their semi-final rivals 3-0. The two-time champions, Argentina and Luka Modric-led Croatia began the evening cautiously with both teams pressing at an equal pace.
Croatia
were better in the midfield where they dominated 62 percent against Argentina’s
32 percent in the first half.
Argentina who were more
concentrated on a counterattack got their opening when Messi fired from the
spot kick to score his fifth in the competition.
The seven-time Ballon
d’Or winner is now the leading all-time scorer of Argentina with 11 goals.
Julián Álvarez chipped
the ball past Croatia’s goalkeeper Livakovic and attempted to round him, but he
was rudely bodychecked. The referee awarded a penalty to Argentina.
The match became a walk-over for Argentina when Argentina took a counter, and double their lead with a brilliant goal from Alvarez in the 39th minute.
Argentina will face either France or Morocco in the finals on
December 18, 2022.
Messi dribbled his way
into Croatia’s 18-yard box and delivered a pass to Alvarez who placed the ball
into Livakovic’s net to seal it 3-0.
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