Doha, Qatar – When 18-year-old Abdur Rahman stepped inside Lusail Stadium ahead of Argentina’s quarterfinal against the Netherlands on Friday night, he broke down. And at the first sight of Lionel Messi warming up on the pitch, his heart began pounding.
It had been Rahman’s biggest dream: to see Messi play ever since he first became familiar with modern football’s biggest name in 2010.
Argentina XI: Martinez, Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, De Paul, Paredes, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Messi, Alvarez.
Croatia XI: Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic.
- Lionel Messi has been involved in six of Argentina’s nine goals in the tournament.
- In major competitions since 2018, Croatia have yet to win a knockout game in normal time.
- Argentina topped their group, and Croatia finished second in their group behind Morocco.
- Both sides have two wins in five head-to-head matches.
Meet the coaches
Argentina coach
Croatia Coach
Messi vs Modric
Both teams are out on the green turf doing their final warm-ups.
Fans have taken their seats and are waiting for the action to start. The importance of this match is not lost on them.
For Argentina, the name on everyone’s lips is Messi. For Croatia, it is the Real Madrid midfield maestro, Modric.
Both players in the past have come close to winning the World Cup.
Messi’s 2014 dream crashed at the hands of Germany, while a Mbappe-inspired French side sent Croatia packing in the last tournament.
Both players are in the twilight of their careers, and this could possibly be their last World Cup.
One of them will go home tonight, and their World Cup dreams will go along with them.
Kickoff
The players are out on the pitch and raring to go.
Argentina will be sporting a 4-4-2 lineup, and are wearing their traditional blue and white colours.
Croatia have gone for their customary 4-1-2-3 formation, and have their navy blue kit on.
1 minute: Argentina 0-0 Croatia
Teams looking to be positive
Argentina are looking to advance up the field despite Croatia holding on the ball for the majority of the time in these early exchanges.
4 mins: Argentina 0-0 Croatia
Messi makes history with 25th World Cup appearance
Lionel Messi, Argentina’s captain and talisman, has equalled the record for the most ever World Cup appearances by a male player.
Today’s match against Croatia marks the 25th time the diminutive superstar has taken to the field during world football’s biggest tournament, taking him level with legendary German midfielder Lothar Matthaus.
Messi brought down outside the box, but no foul given
During one of Argentina’s counter-attacks, the number 10 is brought down outside the box but the referee is unmoved despite the protests from La Albiceleste’s players.
15 mins: Argentina 0-0 Croatia
There doesn’t appear to be a single empty seat inside the 88,966-capacity Lusail Stadium.
The stands are mostly filled with fans donning the sky blue and white of Argentina. But there are pockets of the white and red of Croatia here and there.
The tens of thousands of followers of La Albiceleste are beginning to find their voice now too, after a tense initial 20 minutes.
The drummers have woken up and the stand behind their goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, is where the loudest noise in the stadium is coming from.
Penalty!
Out of nowhere, Argentina are awarded a penalty.
After Perisic fails to catch Martinez off the line at the other end, the counter is sprung and Alvarez is soon on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
The goalie has no choice but to bring down the striker after he tried to find the back of the net.
32 mins: Argentina 0-0 Croatia
GOAL!
Who else but Messi to put Argentina ahead in this World Cup semifinal?
With a strong strike into the top right corner, he goes level as top scorer with Mbappe with five goals in the tournament.
34 mins: Argentina 1-0 Croatia
GOAL!
Alvarez’s stunning solo effort makes it 2-0 for Argentina.
39 mins: Argentina 2-0 Croatia
Alvarez evokes memories of Maradona
The young striker scores a goal of some quality as a failed Croatia right corner leads to an Argentinian break.
The break soon finds Alvarez, who picks up the ball just past the halfway line and sets off on a run with a couple of Croatian defenders on him.
As he gets closer to the box, he is almost dispossessed not once, but twice, before he pokes the ball past Livakovic to send the Argentina fans into delirium.
39 mins: Argentina 2-0 Croatia
Another match, another Messi record
Here’s how Argentina fans at the biggest fan zone in Doha celebrated La Albiceleste going 2-0 up.
Half-time: Argentina 2-0 Croatia
A magic first 45 minutes for Argentina saw Messi and Alvarez put them 2-0 ahead – the only statistic that really matters.
But a closer look at the key figures from the first half shows Croatia dominated the ball, controlling more than 60 percent of possession. Still, they managed to do precious little with it, failing to register a single shot on target.
Coach Zlatko Dalic will need to see much more from his side in the second period if they are to avoid a rout and have any chance of getting back into the game.
Second half under way
The players have had a bit of a breather and are back for the second half.
There is a double change from Croatia as Pasalic and Sosa come off for Mislav Orsic and Nikola Vlasic.
46 mins: Argentina 2-0 Croatia
Croatia continue to hunt
Argentina are ready to sit back and battle as Croatia advance up the field.
So far, they have not been able to make any telling breakthroughs, but it does seem a matter of time if Argentina don’t switch tactics soon.
53 mins: Argentina 2-0 Croatia
Croatia fans in shock
The Croatia fans are mostly in the stand behind the Argentina goalkeeper.
They have been very quiet. There has been no whistling or booing of the opposition stopper even when their team is attacking Argentina’s goal.
They still seem to be in shock, but their team will need their support if they are to turn things around.
GOAL!
Messi, at the end of an incredible solo effort, manages to find Alvarez to make it 3-0 for Argentina.
71 mins: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
Messi magic sets up Alvarez finish
Messi puts on a masterclass here as he rushes down near the right touchline, with Gvardiol hot on his heels.
He manages to keep the Croatian at bay despite numerous prods and pokes.
Messi makes it all the way to the penalty box, and as he nears the near post on the right side, he sees Alvarez slightly open.
The number 10 slips in a quick pass and Alvarez is able to slot it past the right of the keeper to put Argentina one step closer to the World Cup final.
71 mins: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
Changes made by both sides
With Croatia three down now, off comes Kramaric for Marko Livaja.
And not too far behind, Argentina decide to bring on Exequiel Palacios and Paulo Dybala for Alvarez and De Paul.
75 mins: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
‘Messi, Messi, Messi’ rings around Lusail Stadium
It feels like the roof is about to come off the stadium. Surely, Croatia can’t mount a comeback.
The Argentina fans are cheering loudly. They are singing “Messi, Messi, Messi.”
They feel they are almost there – booked into Sunday’s final.
Croatia visibly stunned
Since the third goal, Croatia have looked to be going through the motions out there as the reality of their situation comes to the fore.
Argentina will want to hang on and manage the clock as we enter the final 10 minutes.
80 mins: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
Five minutes of stoppage time
The fourth official has signalled for an additional five minutes of stoppage time.
90 mins: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
Full-time
The referee blows the final whistle and Argentina players celebrate as they now head to the World Cup final on December 18.
Croatia players look disappointed as their un-fancied run finally comes to a close at the hands of the South Americans.
Four years ago, Croatia stunned the world by beating Argentina 3-0 during the group stages.
Tonight, however, belongs to La Albiceleste as Messi takes one step closer to the promised land.
Full-time: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
Messi: ‘We know what we are’
Soon after the match, Messi was asked to share his thoughts: “I don’t know if it’s my best World Cup or not. I’ve been enjoying this a lot for a long time.
“We were confident that this group was going to pull it off. We know what we are and we ask the people to believe in us.”
Damian Martinez: ‘We have 45 million Argentinians behind us’
Argentina goalkeeper Damian Martinez was asked to share his views after the match: “I can’t believe it. We lost the first game (against Saudi Arabia), [and] all of a sudden everything is upside down. People [were] doubting us.”
“It was us against the rest of the world. I’m so glad with this group of 26 players. They are all fighters, and we have 45 million Argentinians behind us [as well].”
? When Argentina needed it most, Messi produced one of his best ever #FIFAWorldCup performances.
Watch ”VIDEO Argentina 3-0 Croatia World Cup 2022 Highlights”, below
VIDEO Argentina 3-0 Croatia World Cup 2022 Highlights
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