World Cup: Argentina moves into the semi-finals after penalty thriller

Lionel Messi can still hope to crown his great career with a world title. Argentina lost a 2-0 lead against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Lusail, but won 4-3 on penalties after 2-2 after extra time (1-0.2-2). Messi and Co. now meet runners-up Croatia, who eliminated Brazil in the afternoon, in the semifinals on Tuesday (20:00 CET).

Argentina was able to thank Messi and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for continuing the journey in Qatar. Messi prepared Nahuel Molina’s opening goal (35th) with a brilliant pass and scored a penalty kick in the 73rd minute to make it 2-0. But the hitherto harmless Dutchmen came back with a joker. Five minutes after being substituted on, Wout Weghorst headed the score to 1:2 (83 ‘) and equalized the game after a free-kick trick in the 11th minute of stoppage time. In the penalty shootout, Martinez was the match winner with two penalties saved.

For a good half hour, little happened at Lusail Stadium. Both teams reacted cautiously, the events took place almost exclusively in no man’s land. Goalkeeper Andries Noppert, whose pass was almost intercepted by Julian Alvarez (7′), caused the first moment of shock in the Dutch penalty area.

Messi got special attention from Nathan Ake but was able to break through for the first time in the 22nd minute. His shot went clearly over the goal. With his second successful move, however, he initiated the lead. After a typical action with perfect ball acceptance and a short hook, he kept track of the sixteen and ideally used Molina, who scored with his first international goal to make it 1-0.

Team boss Louis van Gaal, who had set himself the goal of winning the title with the Oranje team after the three final defeats in 1974, 1978 and 2010, brought in two new players in Steven Berghuis and Teun Koopmeiners after the break. The Dutch had to become more offensive, but didn’t have enough speed and precision in the game to put the solid Argentine defense under pressure with their ball relays.

There was now a little more room for Messi, and the six-time world footballer also became dangerous with standards. A free kick went just over the goal (63′), ten minutes later he was also able to celebrate. After Denzel Dumfries fouled Marcos Acuna, Messi took the penalty and gave Noppert no chance. With his fourth goal of the tournament, Messi now has ten World Cup goals in total, catching up with Argentinian record holder Gabriel Batistuta.

After a short break due to a streaker and out of nowhere, the Dutch came back into play. Weghorst, who was also a substitute, headed in a cross from Berghuis and breathed life back into his team. Berghuis then only hit the side netting (85′), his powerful free kick landed in the wall (93′), but Weghorst shocked the tens of thousands of blue and white fans in the stadium in injury time. After an unnecessary foul on the edge of the penalty area, the Besiktas striker scored after a surprisingly short free-kick from Koopmeiners.

In extra time, the Netherlands had a great chance through Luuk de Jong (113), but then Argentina pushed. Lautaro Martinez (114′, 115′), German Pezzella (116′) and Enzo Fernandes with a shot at the post (121′) failed. The South Americans carried the momentum into the penalty shootout. Martinez saved Virgil van Dijk’s shots and Berghuis, Messi and Leandro Paredes gave Argentina a 2-0 lead. But the Dutch came back again in the penalty shoot-out and are 3-3 before Lautaro Martinez scored for the deserved promotion.

Argentina is still in the race for the third World Cup title after 1978 and 1986, it would be a first for Messi. Nothing came of the supposed semi-final hit against arch-rivals Brazil, because the record world champions failed in the first quarter-finals against Croatia in the afternoon. For Messi, the duel with the vice world champion will be a record game, as the 35-year-old is catching up with record player Lothar Matthäus with his 25th World Cup appearance.

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