today 21:55
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Footballers from Argentina became the first finalists of the World Cup in Qatar. In Tuesday’s semi-final, they beat Croatia 3-0 after goals from Lionel Messi from the eleventh minute and a brace from Julian Alvarez.
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The last opponent will come from the second pair of semi-finals France v Morocco, who will meet on Wednesday from 20.00 CET.
For Argentina it is the sixth promotion to the finals, out of five so far, they have won two league titles. Its captain Messi started in his 25th match at the World Cup, equaling Germany’s Lothar Matthäus’ 24-year-old record. He will create a new high starting in the final. Against Croatia, he scored his 11th World Cup goal, becoming Argentina’s top scorer at the World Cup. The championship in Qatar is his fifth in his career, there he has already scored five goals.
Semifinals:
Argentina – Croatia 3:0 (2:0)
Targets: 34. Messi (11m), 39. to 69. Alvarez
Judges: Orsato – Carbone, Giallatini (all Italians), ŽK: Romero, Otamendi – Livakovič, Kovačič, 88,966 spectators
Assemblies:
Argentina: E. Martinez – Molina (86. Foyth), Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico – De Paul (74. Palacios), Paredes (62. Martinez), Fernandez, Mac Allister (86. Correa) – Messi, Alvarez (74. Dybala)
Croatia: Livakovič – Juranovič, Lovren, Guardiol, Sosa (46. Oršič) – Brozovič (50. Petkovič) – Kovačič, Modrič (81. Majer) – Pasalič (46. Vlašič), Kramarič (72. Livaja), Perišič
The first half was 2:0 for Argentina, but the Croatians were a balanced opponent in the first half hour. They tried attacking actions several times, but it didn’t lead to a significant scoring opportunity. It didn’t even happen in the 28th minute, when Modric’s direct shot was blocked by the Argentine defence. The match begins to unravel from the 32nd minute. In it, Argentine forward Alvarez received the ball behind the defense, goalkeeper Livakovič fouled him, and Messi opened the scoring with a penalty. Livakovič caught the direction of his shot, but it was too sharp and accurately placed – 1:0. Messi then moved the ball to Alvarez in the center circle in the 39th minute and scored one of the best goals in the league. He advances alone towards the Croatian goalkeeper, even with some luck he gets rid of defenders Lovren and Sosa and makes it 2-0 from close range. Argentina controlled the match and Mac Allister could have extended their lead before the break, but did not head over the ready Livakovič.
In the 58th minute Messi swaps the ball with Fernandez, gets in front of Livakovič, but wastes the opportunity. Five minutes later, he was busy in front of the Argentine goalkeeper Martinez after the goal in Lovren, but the Croatians did not get a contact goal. The two-goal lead gave Argentina confidence and their players showed up with a tactical performance in the second half. They avoided mistakes, did not rush into a risky offensive and waited for mistakes. In the 69th minute, Argentina again benefited from the skill of Messi, who in action on the right wing did not let Guardiola get the ball, entered the penalty area and prepared a position for Alvarez with a back pass – 3:0. This goal definitively breaks the resistance of the Croatians, who in the final twenty minutes are unable to exert offensive pressure and break the opponent’s self-confident game.
