Argentina 2-2 Netherlands (4-3 after Penalties) – Lionel Messi’s World Cup Dream Continues
Argentina secured their place in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout victory against The Netherlands.
Goals from Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi put La Selección 2-0 up before substitute Wout Weghorst grabbed a sensational brace to take the game to extra time.
Pre-game Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni sprung a surprise and went with a 5-man defence for the first time to match The Netherlands’ set-up.
Lisandro Martinez joined Nicolas Otamendi and Sergio Romero as a centre-back trio.
Whilst for The Netherlands, Jurrien Timber joined Virgil Van Dijk and Nathan Ake in the Dutch back three ahead of Matthijs De Ligt.
The first 30 minutes were tetchy, with neither side taking any big risks to secure the opening goal.
However, almost out of nothing, Argentina opened the scoring in the 36th minute through Nahuel Molina.
Lionel Messi played a perfectly weighted no-look pass between the lines to find the wing-back who finished well beating goalkeeper Andries Noppert.
The first half ended dramatically, with Argentina assistant Walter Samuel picking up a booking after taking issue with referee Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz.
Sergio Romero and Julian Alvarez joined their coach in the book moments later.
Netherlands’ Timber also received a yellow card before halftime after fouling Marcos Acūna.
The second half started similarly to the first, with neither side taking the initiative to grab the game by the scruff of its neck.
Yet that changed with 18 minutes to go when Argentina were awarded a penalty, Denzel Dumfries was deemed to have tripped Acuna inside the box in the 72nd minute.
Messi converted from the spot to make it 2-0, scoring his 1001st goal in the process.
The next 18 minutes were a nightmare for Argentina as Netherlands substitute Wout Weghorst made a significant impact.
The Dutch striker pulled a goal back for The Dutch in the 83rd minute, heading home after a great delivery from Cody Gakpo.
The Netherlands kept pushing and went close again moments after the goal with Steven Berghuis hitting the side netting.
Despite Argentina’s fraught defensive efforts, The Netherlands found an equaliser 11 minutes past stoppage time.
Berghuis ingeniously played a short free kick to Weghorst in the box and his composed finish levelled the game for The Dutch to take it to extra time.
Neither side could get the job done in the extra 30 minutes.
Argentina went the closest after Enzo Fernandez hit the post with seconds to go.
It was a dramatic shootout as Emiliano Martinez saved the first two Netherlands penalties.
There was a nervous moment for Argentina after Fernandez missed his spot kick.
Despite this Lautaro Martinez converted the final spot kick to send Argentina to the semi-finals.
They go on to face Croatia on Tuesday evening.
