Argentina and Croatia square off against one another in the first World Cup 2022 semi-final on Tuesday at the Lusail Stadium, knowing a spot in the championship game is on the line.
Both teams overcame the drama of penalty shoot-out victories in their respective quarter-final matches.
Argentina’s latest attempt to win their first World Cup trophy since the days of Diego Maradona got off to a shaky start when they were the victims of a historic defeat by tournament underdogs Saudi Arabia in their 2022 World Cup opener.
La Albiceleste, who many had written off after just matchday one, have since made a strong comeback and are now poised to play in the championship game.
They won Group C by defeating Mexico and Poland, advanced past Australia in the round of 16, and then beat the Netherlands in a thrilling World Cup quarterfinal the last time out.
Despite holding a two-goal advantage over the Dutch with less than 10 minutes left on the clock, Lionel Scaloni’s team started to self-destruct before surviving extra time and winning the subsequent penalty shootout 4-3 thanks to heroics in goal from tenacious goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The 2014 World Cup finalists will now look to book their place in this year’s final, which would be their second chance at glory in the last three showpieces.
Croatia, with a population of only four million people, defied all odds once again by defeating South American powerhouse and tournament favorite Brazil in the quarterfinals and are now just 90 minutes away from a return trip to the final.
Croatia had gone undefeated in a group that included fellow semifinalists Morocco, Belgium, and Canada, and had defeated Japan in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 tie in regulation time.
Zlatko Dalic’s team is a formidable foe with a star-studded midfield trio that is as safe as a bank, and their last two World Cup performances have demonstrated that they are very capable of punishing opponents’ complacency.
Underestimate them at your peril, but with Messi pulling the strings and looking to emulate Diego Maradona’s legacy, Argentina are heavy favourites.
Luka Modric, the cultured Real Madrid playmaker, is understandably the figurehead of this Croatian side, but their incredible unbeaten streak in Qatar isn’t just the final hurrah for an ageing golden generation.
Head Coach Zlatko Dalic has also brought in some new blood, with highly-coveted RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, and full-back Josip Juranovic all shining brightly and playing important roles in their early success.
Argentina and Croatia last met in a World Cup group game in 2018, with the Europeans punishing their opponents for defensive mistakes en route to a 3-0 victory. It will be interesting to see who wins this delectable battle.
Argentina vs Croatia confirmed starting XIs
Argentina XI (4-3-3): Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Fernández, Mac Allister; Messi, Álvarez
Croatia XI (4-3-3): Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic
