Argentina vs Croatia, FIFA World Cup 2022, Semi-Final Highlights: Lionel Messi Teams Up With Alvarez To Fire Argentina To 6th World Cup Final
FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina and Croatia Semi-Final Highlights: A Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina thumped 2018 runners-up Croatia 3-0 to set up a World Cup final against either France or Morocco.
FIFA World Cup 2022, Argentina vs Croatia Highlights: Two goals from Julian Alvarez and one from Lionel Messi guided Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia in the first semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Lusail Stadium on Wednesday (IST). With this win, the Lionel Messi-led side has stormed into the final of the tournament and will be facing either France or Morocco. This is Argentina's sixth entry into the World Cup final overall and their second in eight years. The loss has closed the doors for the 2018 runners-up Croatia, and they will now be facing the loser of the second semi-final in the third-place play-off. (Matchcentre)
Here are the Highlights of the FIFA World Cup 2022Â Football Match between Argentina and Croatia straight from the Lusail Stadium:
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02:49 (IST)
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That's it for today! Tomorrow the second finalist will be decided. Either defending champion France or surprise package Morocco will face Argentina in the final! We will cover that game live. Do join us!
Messi, 35, who suffered defeat to Germany in the 2014 final, is desperate to crown his extraordinary career by winning his first World Cup and bringing Argentina a third title to add to those won in 1978 and 1986.
It was Messi's fifth goal of the tournament, making him joint top-scorer with France's Kylian Mbappe. His 11th career goal -- in a record-equalling 25th World Cup appearance -- also took him past Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time World Cup top scorer.
Argentina defeat Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final match and storm into the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Julian Alvarez scored a brace while Lionel Messi scored the opener as Argentina clearly dominated the game.
The stoppage time for the second-half of the first semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia is 5 minutes. Argentina have clearly dominated the game as they have taken a 3-0 lead.
GOAL!!! Julian Alvarez strikes twice as he provides Argentina with their third goal of the night. He gets an assist from Lionel Messi and easily dodges goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
Argentina star Lionel Messi tries to hold one of his opponents and referee Daniele Orsato has clear sight of the incident and immediately stops the play.
Referee Daniele Orsato wastes no time and signals a foul after Argentina's Julian Alvarez recklessly brings an opponent down while trying to snatch the ball.
Argentina's Lionel receives a good pass and fires a shot towards the target. However, goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic makes a brilliant effort and stops the goal from close range. Argentina in 2-0 lead.
Croatia's Luka Modric delivers the ball into the penalty area from a free-kick. However, Argentina goalkeeper makes a good effort and deny Croatia an easy goal.
Referee Daniele Orsato wastes no time and signals a foul after Argentina's Nicolas Otamendi slides between the feet of an opposition player and brings him down.
Hello and welcome back to the second-half of semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia. Argentina are in 2-0 lead and Croatia need to redeem themselves in order to win the game.
This marks the end of the first-half of the semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia. The Lionel Messi-side have taken 2-0 lead over Croatia. Messi and Julian Alvarez provided Argentina with the breakthroughs.
The stoppage time for the first-half of the semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia in 4 minutes. Argentina clearly dominated the game so far as they have taken 2-0 lead over Croatia.
Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister receives a good pass from the corner and produces a good header towards the target. However, goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic makes a comfortable save to deny Argentina their third goal.
GOAL!!!! Few minutes after the first goal, Julian Alvarez provides Argentina with their second breakthrough of the night. After receiving a pass, Alvarez makes his way through the defenders and places the ball into the nets.
GOAL!!! Lionel Messi perfectly capitalizes on the given opportunity and converts the penalty into a goal. He brilliantly places the ball towards the target and leaves Dominik Livakovic completely bamboozled.
Referee Daniele Orsato signals a yellow card to Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, after he commits a foul while defending a goal. Argentina get a penalty kick.
Argentina's Rodrigo de Paul unleashes a shot inside the box but he fails to find any of his teammates. Croatia defenders get the ball and easily avert the coming threat.
Argentina's Enzo Fernandez creates a good opportunity to score and fires a brilliant shot towards the right side of the goal. However, his effort goes in vain as goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic makes an easy save.
In the 22 minutes of the game so far, Croatia have been keeping the majority of possession on the field. Both the teams are trying hard but no goals have been scored yet.
Croatia's Dejan Lovren gets a cross in the box and unleashes a shot towards the target. However, the ball goes off the pitch and Croatia miss out on a good chance to score.
Rodrigo de Paul delivers a good pass into the opposition's box but goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic makes a comfortable save to deny Argentina a chance to goal.
Players of both the teams are out on the field for their respective national anthems. The semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia will begin soon at the Lusail Stadium.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic named an unchanged team to the one which beat Brazil on penalties in the last eight with Andrej Kramaric starting as the central striker.
Argentina star Lionel Messi was set to equal Lothar Matthaus' record for the most World Cup appearances with his 25th start in Tuesday's semi-final against Croatia. Midfielder Leandro Paredes and defender Nicolas Tagliafico were brought into Argentina's starting line-up. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni drafted in Tagliafico in place of the suspended left-back Marcos Acuna and Paredes took the spot of centre-half Lisandro Martinez. The switch means Argentina are likely to revert to four at the back rather than the five-man defence with advanced wing-backs that they used in the penalty shoot-out win over the Netherlands.
Argentina: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi (capt), Julian Alvarez
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Juranovic, Dejan Lovren, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa; Luka Modric (capt), Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic; Mario Pasalic, Andrej Kramaric, Ivan Perisic
Morocco had a memorable run at the FIFA World Cup 2022 so far. After staying unbeatable in the group stages, Morocco continued the same momentum in the Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches.
Argentina
Croatia
Lionel Messi