Argentina win on penalties to set up semi-final meeting with Croatia | OneFootball

The World Cup quarter-finals begin on Friday and we will make sure you will not miss a beat right here on OneFootball.

Ad: SCORE A HAT-TRICK. Check-in. Trade. Earn free crypto daily with BIT.

Argentina overcome Netherlands on penalties

Scorers: Weghorst 83′, 90’+11; Molina 35′, Messi 72′ (PEN)

Argentina let slip a two-goal lead but overcame a spirited Dutch side on penalties to progress to the semi-finals.

A tightly contested opening period saw few chances at either end until Argentina found the breakthrough ten minutes before half-time with a goal scored by Nahuel Molina but made by Messi.

Running through the heart of the Dutch team, the PSG forward threaded his pass through the eye of a needle to find Molina, who poked the ball past the onrushing Andries Nopper.

After a mostly uneventful second period, Messi turned scorer with barely 15 minutes left on the clock.

Marcos Acuña stormed down the left wing and, as he cut inside, was tripped by Denzel Dumfries as Messi stepped up from the spot to score his 10th World Cup goal – joint-highest of any Argentine player in the competition.

The game may have seemed wrapped up, but the Netherlands had other ideas as Wout Weghorst rose highest in the penalty area to plant his header beyond Emi Martínez and bring Louis van Gaal’s side to within one goal.

With the game ticking towards its final seconds, the Dutch were given a lifeline with a free kick. When everyone expected a shot, it was played short into Weghorst, who equalised with the final kick of the ball.

A frantic period of extra time ensued with chances coming at both ends, the best of which with one of the very last actions of the game with Enzo Fernandez’s effort from outside the box striking the post at the game went to penalties.

Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis’ efforts were expertly saved by Martínez before Gonzalo Montiel, Luuk de Jong and Weghorst sent the keeper the wrong way.

Messi cooly rolled his second penalty of the game straight down the middle as Leandro Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel both scored before Enzo Fernández fired wide.

The final spot kick went to Lauturo Martínez and the Inter forward made no mistake from the spot to send Argentina to the semi-finals against Croatia.

Brazil out as Croatia win from 12 yards again

Scorers: Petković 117‘; Neymar 105+1′

An unchanged Brazil did not enjoy the same fast start that put South Korea to the sword earlier this week, with Croatia looking the more dangerous side for large spells in the first half.

Josko Gvardiol blocked Brazil’s best effort before the break, a low strike from Vinícius Júnior, while Josip Juranović, Mario Pašalić and Luka Modrić all found moments to threaten for Croatia down the right.

The game’s standout player has, though, been Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković.

A much-improved Brazil had an early penalty appeal waved away and tested Livaković on multiple occasions but he was equal to efforts from Neymar and Lucas Paquetá.

He couldn’t deny Neymar again in extra-time. A stunning one-touch move saw Neymar exchange a one-two with Paquetá and managed to stay on his feet in the area to shuffle beyond Borna Sosa and around Livaković before firing in from close range.

The goal takes him level with Pelé’s record of 77 goals for the Brazilian men’s national team.

But that wasn’t the drama there. A fine move saw Mislav Oršić released down the left and his cutback was met by Bruno Petković, whose effort beat Alisson via a deflection to take the game to penalties.

Vlašić and Majer both scored down the middle either side of Livaković saving from Rodrygo to give Croatia an early lead.

Casemiro, Modrić, Pedro, Orsić all scored before a Marquinhos strike hit the post to send Croatia through.

The other two quarter-finals will take place on Saturday.