Lionel Messi’s World Cup dream lived on as Argentina beat the Netherlands on penalties after a dramatic quarter-final at the Lucille Stadium.
Messi impressed in Argentina’s last four meeting with Brazil’s winners Croatia when he set up Nahol Molina’s opener 10 minutes before the break and then added a second from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute when Denzel Dumfries teed up Marcos Acuna. Did you foul?
Louis van Gaal, in his last game as Dutch coach, went off for a break and it paid off and substitute Wout Weghorst made a sensational comeback by scoring twice, the second a brave 11 minutes into stoppage time. After the free kick routine.
A game of many flashpoints, including 17 yellow cards plus a red for Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries, went to penalties, during which Aston Villa’s Argentinian keeper Amy Martinez took down Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis. emerged as a hero saving
Messi scored his penalty and although the pressure mounted on Argentina when Enzo Fernandez dragged his spot-kick wide, Lautaro Martinez played a decisive role in sparking wild scenes of celebration.
Argentina celebrate after panic
The vast stands of the Lucille Stadium and Argentina’s players erupted in jubilation as they knew how close they had come to overturning a comfortable position in this thrilling World Cup quarter-final.
Argentina raced into the final 10 minutes with a two-goal lead but even the blue-and-white-clad crowd was momentarily silenced as their team looked frustrated as the Netherlands sent on Wieghorst and Luc de Jong. Admitted using a giant pair of Those two late goals.
It needed a rescue act from Amy Martinez in the penalty shootout, although it was Argentina who ran all the way and the Dutch were hung on in extra time, Enzo Martinez hitting the post with practically the last kick of extra time. Made.
Argentina held their nerve to win the shoot-out and now face Croatia in the semi-finals after their win over Brazil on penalties added another layer to the celebrations. Because he not only saw a historic rival eliminated, but also defeated each other. The biggest threat to their hopes of winning the World Cup.
It was a close thing for Argentina but they now stand just one game away from reaching the World Cup final, suffering one of the biggest shocks of the tournament when they lost their opening game to Saudi Arabia. happened
Van Gaal’s tragic end
Louis van Gaal disguised what must have been bitter disappointment in his final game as Netherlands coach as he warmly embraced opposite number Lionel Scaloni at the end of a sometimes chaotic quarter-final.
Van Gaal will be dreaming of another World Cup semi-final since 2014, which he lost on penalties to Argentina, when Holland equalized in the closing seconds of that long period of extra time.
And what an equalizer it was, a brilliant free-kick routine that completely fooled the Argentines as they waited for Tan Koopmaners to shoot, only for him to put one over for Wieghorst to score. Slipped the perfect pass.
Van Gaal can leave his post with his head held high, as his team, after showing resilience and character to overcome Argentina’s dominance, only to lose in the penalty lottery.
Time will tell whether the 71-year-old Van Gaal, a sometimes divisive but always charismatic and entertaining figure, will come to the fore elsewhere but his final World Cup as Dutch coach was a close and far-fetched affair.
