Lionel Messi's Trip to World Cup Final Celebrated by Twitter as Argentina Top Croatia
Dec 13, 2022
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 13: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates the team's 3-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium on December 13, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday, catapulting the South American champions into the World Cup final for the second time in three tournaments.
Messi began the scoring with a 34th-minute penalty after a cagey opening saw Croatia dominate possession. Goalkeeper Dominik Livaković—hero of the European side's penalty shootout wins over Japan and Brazil—was adjudged to have brought down the onrushing Julián Álvarez before Messi blasted in.
Five minutes later, Álvarez dribbled the length of the pitch before nudging the ball beyond Livaković for 2-0. The Manchester City forward was a little fortunate to see the ball bounce back to him, but the gut-busting run got the reward it deserved.
Croatia made attacking changes for the second half, but Messi and Álvarez ended any hope of a comeback with 20 minutes to go. Messi's unbelievable run sent Joško Gvardiol for a spin—the highly rated youngster unable to do anything as Leo laid on the assist for Álvarez to tap home.
Messi enters the second World Cup final of his career in what is likely his last attempt at winning the one major trophy that has eluded him. Mario Götze's injury-time winner ended Argentina's hopes in 2014, but with Messi in such rampant form, they have great momentum to get the job done.
Messi's outrageous display was vastly celebrated on Twitter as fans anticipated a showdown with either France or Morocco on Sunday.
Lionel Messi is the 1st player to score & assist in 3 different games, in a single edition of a World Cup, since 1966. Unreal. Expected a more dogged Croatia, but looks like the fairytale is on for Messi & Argentina (& not Modric 😬) 🇦🇷v🇭🇷 #ArgentinaVsCroatia#Qatar2022pic.twitter.com/XTLZ1mO06F
Will it be a fairytale ending for Messi? Or is heartbreak on the horizon? One thing's for sure: Argentina have come a long way since the opening-round defeat to Saudi Arabia left them scrambling to escape the group stage.
Messi already has a legendary career wrapped up, and it's remarkable to think at 35 years old he is about to enter the biggest match of his life. Sunday's World Cup final can't come soon enough.
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Twitter Erupts as Lionel Messi, Argentina Beat Netherlands in World Cup Classic
Dec 9, 2022
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 09: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between Netherlands and Argentina at Lusail Stadium on December 09, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi took another step toward what would be a crowning achievement as Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina appeared to be home clear in the final stages of the match, and Wout Weghorst's opener in the 83rd was little more than a consolation at first. But the Dutch kept pushing forward and found the equalizer through a brilliant set piece finished off by Weghorst in stoppage time.
100th minute. In the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
The match went to a penalty shootout after neither country could break the deadlock in extra time. The Netherlands' first two penalty takers, Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis, saw their attempts saved by Argentina keeper Emi Martínez, which put the South Americans firmly in control. Lautaro Martínez converted the winner to send the Argentines through.
It was a suitably dramatic conclusion to an instant classic.
Lionel Messi delivered a standout performance that was overshadowed by the Dutch comeback.
The Paris Saint-Germain star has been an integral member of the national team, totaling three goals and one assist entering Friday. He added a second assist when he found Nahuel Molina for Argentina's opener in the 35th minute.
After Denzel Dumfries fouled Marcos Acuña in the 18-yard box, Messi doubled Argentina's lead from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute.
The goal symbolized the sense of inevitability surrounding the 35-year-old.
The footballing gods have decided it’s his and their year. Write it on the trophy, nobody is stopping Lionel Messi and Argentina. I’m not sure if anybody can stop him.
Argentina will meet Croatia in the semifinals on Dec. 13 after the Croatians knocked out Brazil in a penalty shootout earlier on Friday.
On paper, that's the easier of the two opponents, but Croatia's defensive strength can't be overlooked. Zlatko Dalić's squad gave up one goal in the group stage and held Japan and Brazil to one goal apiece in the knockout stages.
Messi's brilliance could be required once again to seal Argentina's passage to the World Cup final for the second time in the last three tournaments.
World Cup Results 2022: Scores, Updated Quarterfinals Bracket After Friday
Dec 9, 2022
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 09: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates scoring the team's first penalty in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between Netherlands and Argentina at Lusail Stadium on December 09, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi's dream of winning a World Cup is still alive.
Argentina needed an extra 30 minutes and penalties to keep that dream alive, but all that matters is La Albiceleste are on to the 2022 World Cup semifinals.
Argentina knocked out the Netherlands in the second of two penalty shootouts to take place in Qatar on Friday.
Croatia, the penalty shootout kings of the last two World Cups, defeated Brazil to advance to its second straight World Cup semifinal.
Messi and Argentina will meet Luka Modrić and Croatia on Tuesday in the first of two World Cup semifinals.
Argentina 2 (4), Netherlands 2 (3)
Argentina did not like the path it took to the penalty shootout, but it still emerged victorious.
Martínez had not made a save on the two shots on goal he faced over 120 minutes. The Dutch finished their two chances to come back from a deficit forged by Lionel Messi.
Lautaro Martínez finished off the shootout win in the fifth round.
Messi was once again at the center of Argentina's most important moments in a World Cup game.
Messi provided a first-half assist and scored a penalty in the second half to place La Albiceleste in the lead.
Messi produced a brilliant pass into Nahuel Molina in the 35th minute to open the scoring.
Messi set the ball up on a perfect angle from his position outside the box to feed Molina and avoid the handful of Dutch defenders that tried to surround him.
The Argentinian legend scored the crucial second goal in the 73rd minute from the penalty spot. Messi blasted his fourth goal of the 2022 World Cup and 10th career World Cup strike past a diving Andries Noppert.
The Dutch applied pressure for the seven second-half minutes and 10 minutes of stoppage time that followed. They finally broke through in the 101st minute, when Weghorst finished past Emiliano Martínez on a craftily-played free kick that avoided the Argentinian wall.
In penalties, Dominik Livaković made one save to add to his impressive resume in Qatar. He made 10 saves in 120 minutes against Brazil and had multiple denials in the round-of-16 shoutout win over Japan.
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Lionel Messi Wows Fans as Argentina Beat Australia in 2022 World Cup
Dec 3, 2022
DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 03: Argentina's Lionel Messi during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 3, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi further cemented his legendary status Saturday, as his goal in the first half helped Argentina defeat Australia 2-1 in the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Playing in his 1,000th career match, Messi made magic again, sneaking a ball through multiple defenders and past goalkeeper Mathew Ryan with his left foot in the 35th minute:
The goal was historic for many reasons, at it marked Messi's first in the World Cup knockout rounds, put him past Diego Maradona for the second-most goals by an Argentine at the World Cup and gave him 789 career goals across all competitions:
Messi's goal was also his third of the tournament.
Given the low probability that Messi's strike would find the back of the net Saturday, fans marveled at his continued elite level of play and ability to carry the burden for Argentina on the international stage:
Messi has 2 open play goals in this World Cup. They have a combined xG of 0.06
In what is expected to be Messi's final World Cup, La Albiceleste entered the tournament as one of the top contenders to win it all.
Argentina got off to a nightmarish start, though, losing its opener to Saudi Arabia 2-1. Since then, Messi and Argentina have been on a roll, reeling off wins over Mexico, Poland and Australia.
While Argentina is one of only six nations to win multiple World Cups, it has not done so since 1986. It came close in 2014 with Messi leading the way, but Germany won after extra time in the final.
Now, Argentina is just three wins from winning its third World Cup, and it may have as good of a chance as any team remaining because of how Messi has been playing.
Messi and Argentina's next chance to take another step toward the trophy will come Friday against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
World Cup 2022 Scores: Saturday's Results and Sunday's Round of 16 Schedule
Dec 3, 2022
DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 03: Lionel Messi of Argentina runs with the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Argentina and the Netherlands finalized the first quarterfinal matchup at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Saturday.
The Dutch's 3-1 victory over the United States men's national meant they became the tournament's first quarterfinalist.
Argentina rode goals from Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez into the final eight, as it eliminated Australia in Saturday's second game.
The quarterfinal showdown between the European and South American sides marks the sixth time they have faced each other in the World Cup. In their last meeting, Argentina eliminated the Dutch in the 2014 semifinals on penalties.
Over the next three days, the Dutch and Argentinians will be joined by six other teams in the final eight. England and France can book their places in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Saturday's Results
Argentina 2, Australia 1
Argentina methodically put away Australia to earn its fourth quarterfinal berth in the last five World Cups.
Lionel Messi used a moment of magic in the 35th minute to put the Albiceleste in front. Messi continued his run from the left wing after a failed free kick and slotted home through a pair of defenders and into the back of the net.
Messi's 35th-minute tally was his first-ever goal in the World Cup knockout stages. That statistic was hard to believe since he has been an integral part of Argentina's national team for over a decade.
Julián Álvarez padded the lead in the 57th minute after some disastrous decision-making by Matt Ryan in front of the Soccerros goal. Ryan kept the ball at his feet too long and allowed the pressure by Rodrigo De Paul and Álvarez to force him into a mistake.
Álvarez's goal ended up meaning more to Argentina once the Aussies found the back of the net in the 77th minute. Craig Goodwin lashed a shot from outside the box and took a deflection on its way past Emiliano Martinez.
The tally eventually went down as an Enzo Fernandez on goal, but that was all the Aussies could muster, despite some late pressure, against an Argentinian defense that came into Saturday with two straight clean sheets.
Messi and Co. will try to make it back to the semifinals with a win on Friday that could set up an all-South American clash with Brazil in the final four. Brazil plays South Korea and then the Japan-Croatia winner if it wins in the Round of 16.
Netherlands 3, United States 1
The Netherlands ended the United States' run in Qatar with a few attacking moves that capitalized on mistakes by the American back line.
Memphis Depay put the Dutch in front in the 10th minute, when he ran into a pocket of space at the top of the box and easily beat Matt Turner.
The Oranje defended for most of the first half after Memphis' opening strike. They doubled their advantage right before halftime, as Daley Blind beat Sergiño Dest to a ball that came off a Netherlands throw-in.
The Americans controlled the possession battle in the first half, but they only had two significant chances in the first 45 minutes. Christian Pulisic missed a golden opportunity in the opening minutes and Timothy Weah had a shot from distance turned away before the second Dutch goal.
The Americans were more progressive in the final third in the second half thanks to the additions of Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright.
Wright put the Americans on the scoreboard in the 76th minute with a goal off his back heel. The tally came minutes after Wright blew a potential open goal with a poor first touch.
The USMNT's hope did not last long, as Denzel Dumfires scored in the 81st minute on another defensive breakdown by the Americans. Dumfries was one of the best Dutch players on the field inside the Khalifa International Stadium.
The Dutch advanced to at least the semifinals in their last two World Cups in 2010 and 2014. A win over Argentina would get them there for a third straight appearance when qualifying for the World Cup, after shockingly missing out in the 2018 edition.
