Argentina's win over Netherlands in a close FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter-final on Friday kept alive Lionel Messi's dream of finally getting his hands on the much-cherished trophy. At 35, Messi knows this will be his fifth and final World Cup - and a winner's medal would burnish his legacy as one of football's greatest ever players, placing him right alongside compatriot Diego Maradona and Pele.
Argentina looked poised for a win in the regulation time with a 2-0 margin when a late surge from Netherlands saw the score getting levelled at 2-2. The Argentine great's team finally won the match 4-3 in penalties. Things got heated up in the latter stages of the match as Messi and his teammates lost their cool on a number of occasions. Messi even confronted the Dutch coach Louis van Gaal after the win as other members of the Dutch support staff stopped him.
Watch: Lionel Messi confronts Dutch coach Louis van Gaal
Talking about the match, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez came to the rescue for Argentina on a remarkable night of drama by saving two Netherlands penalties in the shootout to send his country through to the World Cup semi-finals. The Aston Villa goalkeeper was barely tested for the best part of 90 minutes as Argentina swept into a two-goal lead before substitute Wout Weghorst engineered an incredible Dutch fightback in the quarter-final.
Argentina were stunned as Weghorst equalised in the 11th minute of added time, forcing an extra 30 minutes to the astonishment of the 88,235 in attendance at Lusail Stadium -- nearly all of those rooting for Lionel Messi and his teammates.
But Martinez seized his opportunity to be the hero just when it looked as if Argentina were set to face more World Cup agony, flying to his right to palm away Virgil van Dijk's opening effort from the spot.
After Messi, who had doubled Argentina's lead during the game with a penalty, coolly rolled home his team's first attempt, Martinez flung himself to his left to deny Steven Berghuis.
Enzo Fernandez drilled wide with the chance to win it for Argentina, but Lautaro Martinez made no mistake with their following kick, setting up a clash with 2018 runners-up Croatia.
With AFP inputs