The dream continues, Messi. Argentina to Gold Square
Argentina booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, after defeating the Netherlands on penalties (4-3), today, Friday, in the round of 8 competitions, after the match ended in an extra time with a draw (2-2).
Argentina's brace came through Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi (penalty) in the 35th and 73rd minutes, while Foot Vigorst scored the Netherlands brace in normal time in the 83rd and 90+11 minutes.
The tango dancers were in control from the start, but they played negative in the first minutes, leaving both goalkeepers out of danger until Messi tried his luck with a long-range shot, but it went too far from goal.
The Dutch rarely made it past their halfway and reached the first chance with a stray shot from Bergwijn, which found its way off the pitch.
De Paul received a pass on the edge of the box, which he met with a shot that was not strong enough, to settle in the arms of goalkeeper Nobert.
Messi returned to try to threaten the Dutch goal with a shot with his right, but it settled in the hands of Nobert again.
From Messi's magical pass towards Molina, the Argentine full-back found himself head-to-head with Nubert, putting the ball into the net, announcing the first goal of the game.
The Dutch were unable to respond with any serious chances until the end of the first half with Argentina leading (1-0).
Things changed in the second half as Argentina fell back, giving the Netherlands the chance to dominate.
But Louis van Gaal's men failed to translate this control into chances on goal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, leaving the danger absent for a long time.
While the Dutch team was looking for an equalizer, referee Matteo Lahoz awarded a penalty in favor of Argentina, for which Messi scored the second goal.
While many felt that Messi's penalty was a mercy shot on the Dutch, substitute Figurst reduced the score for the mills with a goal from a header 7 minutes before the end of normal time.
Substitute Bergoz almost knocked out the hearts of the Argentines with a rocket shot from the heart of the box, which almost resulted in the equalizer, but the ball settled in the net from the outside.
Paredes and Molina provoked the Dutch bench after a foul committed by the former and a ball shot by the latter towards the reserve players, to rush the substitutes onto the pitch and clash with him, while Van Dijk knocked him to the ground in response.
The Dutch flood continued on Martinez's goal in the final minutes amid an Argentine retreat, to give the mills the opportunity to equalize the result after the referee awarded a free kick on the edge of coach Lionel Scaloni's men's penalty area.
Koopminiers took the free-kick in a brilliant way by passing the ball instead of shooting it, to reach Wigorst, who did not delay to put the ball into the net in stoppage time, and the field exploded with overwhelming Dutch joy after equalizing.
The referee blew the whistle at the end of normal time with a draw (2-2), so that the two teams went to extra time.
The first extra half was not dangerous until the end, while the second was more spectacular especially from the Argentine side.
Messi's shot went over the target, before Lautaro Martinez fired a powerful shot on its way to goal, but Van Dijk prevented that after the ball hit his chest and turned into a corner.
Enzo Fernandes almost hit the net with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box, but it hit the foot of a defender and went over the crossbar.
And saved the Dutch goal from a powerful left shot launched by Lautaro from outside the area, to protect his team from falling behind a minute before the end of the fourth half.
Messi tried again to hit the net with a creeping ground shot, but it hit the foot of a defender and turned into a corner, carried out by Di Maria with a shot in the goal, but the ingenuity of Nobert prevented her from crossing the net.
Enzo Fernandes returned to threaten Nobert's goal with a long-range left shot, which the post responded to on behalf of the Netherlands goalkeeper, to end the fourth half with a draw with the same result, so that the two teams ruled for penalties.
Argentina's penalty shootout smiled despite the excitement it witnessed, and the tango dancers crossed into the semi-finals after Lautaro scored the decisive kick.