Argentina have scraped into the semi finals after blowing a 2-0 with ten minutes to go to beat the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties. The Dutch equalised in the 101st minute to force extra time but had their first two penalties saved to put them under pressure in the shootout.
Quarter Final Netherlands v Argentina Match Review
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
1’ Min Wondering if this is a trend of what’s to come, but Argentina are awarded a free kick within the first ten seconds of the match after a too-strong tackle.
5’ Min First chances of the game with Argentina taking a few shots at the Dutch goal. The first is blocked by the Netherlands defence the second is blocked by an Argentine player themselves.
15’ Min 15 minutes in and neither side giving the other much. Possession is just about equal on 42% v 41% but Argentina have at least had half an attempt. This game already looks like it is going to penalties. The only interesting thing so far is the Spanish referee who has quite the reputation.
20’ Min Corner for Netherlands. Ends up in fast kicking, no scoring.
21’ Min Messi lights up the crowd with a shot, luckily they are lit as the ball is coming their way as the shot is well over the bar.
30 Min Half an hour gone, and no real update to give. If you’re reading this on delay, help yourself to the Fast Forward button. Well, obviously if you’re reading this before watching the game. Our website has no fast forward button that we know of.
33′ Min There’s a shot on target. After a nice move down the left the ball is crossed into the box and Rodrigo De Paul has a go. His shot is pretty weak and saved by Argentine keeper Martínez.
35′ Min GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR ARGENTINA
Messi finds himself in space outside the penalty area. He jinks and avoids the Dutch defence and slices the Dutch defence with a beautiful ball to Molina on the edge of the penalty area and Molina beats the keeper for the first goal of the match. Sublime from Messi.
NETHERLANDS 0 ARGENTINA 1
40′ Min Messi gets a shot on target away despite being surrounded by five Dutch defenders. The shot wasn’t great, but the number 10 is.
44′ Min Argentina’s Acuña is booked, and will miss the next game if they progress. The referee is in fine form now with another booking for Romero a minute later. Free kicks for the Netherlands from both fouls are wasted. The second attempt better than the first.
Half time and as ever the difference in the game is a piece of Messi magic. He lights up the game after a pretty dull opening half hour or so, which hurt given how early some folk had to get up for the first quarter final.
HALF TIME – NETHERLANDS 0 ARGENTINA 1
55′ Min Much like the first half there’s not a lot of action early, which at least gives people time to get a cup of tea or coffee, get to the toilet without fear of missing a goal, or googling Qatar tourism because they have so impressed by the excellent Pirlo in those Qatar tourism ads. No one runs to the beach and almost makes the water like the Italian football legend.
60′ Min We are reminded at this stage of our Quarter Finals preview where we unveiled that Argentina had conceded the fewest shots at this World Cup of the teams in the quarter final. The Netherlands are going to struggle to break into this game then.
61′ Min Free kick to Argentina just on the edge of the box, as Virgil van Dijk simply pushes Messi over instead of tackling him as Messi approaches the penalty area. Solid tactic to a degree if you can do it outside the box, avoid a yellow card and hope Messi doesn’t score anyway. And boy does Messi come close to doing that.
71′ Min PENALTY TO ARGENTINA
Acuna drives into the Dutch penalty area on the left, and as he turns back inside is slightly collected by Dumfries and goes to ground and the referee obliges.
73′ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL FOR ARGENTINA
Messi, who is never a certainty with a penalty, steps up and puts it into the right corner with ease. The keeper does half a jig and is glued to the spot, briefly admiring the second goal for Argentina.
NETHERLANDS 0 ARGENTINA 2
75′ Min A scuffle breaks out down the other end as Martinez catches a cross away from Luuk de Jong. Those two stare off at each other for a bit, then others join in the hard staring. A yellow card or two is handed out. Perhaps the Dutch should put the same energy into trying to win the game.
83′ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL FOR NETHERLANDS
All of a sudden the Dutch have scored from a relatively simple play. A cross from out wide from Steven Berghuis lands perfectly for Wout Weghorst who flicks a perfect header into the goal.
NETHERLANDS 1 ARGENTINA 2
84′ Min Wout Weghorst goes close to a second, the ball hits the outside of the net but is deflected so they get a corner. No goal from the corner but the Dutch stay on the attack. Argentina are hanging on now after dominating for so long.
88′ Min Fight, fight, fight, fight. A wild tackle from Argentine player Leandro Paredes on Nathan Ake sees the entire Dutch bench run onto the field. A few scuffles break out, but this game is really starting to heat up. The Dutch bench are lucky to escape all being yellow carded by this referee.
90′ Min Ten minutes of added time available.
90′ +1 Min Free kick to Netherlands. Argentina are really trying their best to lose this lead. Gakpo receives a good kicking in the edge of the penalty area in the middle. Giving the Dutch a huge chance of drawing level. Steven Berghuis Pink Floyds the free kick which lands about 30 metres away for a throw-in.
90′ +9 Min Free kick to Netherlands. This is it. A free kick on the edge of the box again. Not long to go.
90′ +11 Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL FOR NETHERLANDS
Instead of blasting the free kick over the wall, it is rolled under the wall to Wout Weghorst who is waiting for the ball and he hits it past the keeper for a sensational and dramatic equaliser.
NETHERLANDS 2 ARGENTINA 2
90′ +12 Min Full time is called, but there’s still time for another scuffle before the play is officially over. This game has some real spice now.
FULL TIME (90 Mins) NETHERLANDS 2 ARGENTINA 2
EXTRA TIME
99′ Min Free kick to Netherlands in a decent position. A cross is served and dismissed by Argentina for the opening play of interest in this first half of extra time.
101′ Min Free kick to Argentina in a similar position and reaps a similar result.
103′ Min Another Free kick to Argentina in a similar position and Nicolás Otamendi goes close to getting on the end of the cross.
Bit of a nothing half really as the game gets cagey. A World Cup semi final is on the line.
HALF TIME (Extra Time) NETHERLANDS 2 ARGENTINA 2
107′ Min Corner to Argentina and Messi swings in it, but too much and the Dutch keeper grabs it.
109′ Min Free kick to Argentina out wide. Messi takes the free kick, and then also has a shot on goal. Not one of his best, and not a goal.
112′ Min The game has descended into fouls and free kicks and yellow cards. Netherlands get one this time, and after a small scramble in the box the chance disappears into an Argentine free kick.
114′ Min Lautaro Martinez goes so close to scoring. His shot towards goal is deflected off Virgil van Dijk who didn’t know that much about it.
115′ Min Enzo Fernández goes close too, as a deflection just pops it up over the bar.
119′ Min Netherlands break down the right but the cross can’t be met by tiring Dutch attackers. Down the other end swiftly Lautaro Martinez has a shot too.
120′ +1 Min Great save from Andries Noppert to deny Argentina at the far post. And that is the last chance of the game as penalties are called upon to split the sides.
FULL TIME (Extra Time) NETHERLANDS 2 ARGENTINA 2
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
Netherlands Kick 1 SAVED – Virgil van Dijk – Big save from Argentine keeper. Van Dijk goes left, but keeper goes right and better.
0-0
Argentina Kick 1 SCORES – Messi – Messi so casually dribbles it in just to the left.
ARGENTINA 1-0
Netherlands Kick 2 SAVED – Steven Berghuis – He goes right this time and the keeper goes left and pulls off an even better save.
ARGENTINA 1-0
Argentina Kick 2 SCORES – Leandro Paredes – He blasts it left and the keeper has no chance.
ARGENTINA 2-0
Netherlands Kick 3 SCORES – Teun Koopmeiners – He goes hard and right and the keeper almost waves at it on the way through.
ARGENTINA 2-1
Argentina Kick 3 SCORES – Gonzalo Montiel – He sends the keeper the other way as he pushes it right, right into the goals that is.
ARGENTINA 3-1
Netherlands Kick 4 SCORES – Wout Weghorst – He sends the keeper the wrong way and scores to the left.
ARGENTINA 3-2
Argentina Kick 4 MISSES – Enzo Fernández – He shanks it to the left and misses.
ARGENTINA 3-2
Netherlands Kick 5 SCORES – Luuk de Jong – A casual run up and a casual dribble to the left sees the Dutch stay alive for one more kick
DRAW 3-3
Argentina Kick 5 SCORES – Lautaro Martinez – He sends the keeper the wrong way and scores. Argentina have scraped through to the semi finals after blowing the 2-2 lead.
ARGENTINA 4-3
Final Score
NETHERLANDS 2
Wout Weghorst 83′ Wout Weghorst 90′ +11
ARGENTINA 2
Molina 35′ Messi 73′ (pen)
HT Argentina 1-0
FT 2-2
Extra Time 2-2
Argentina win 4-3 on penalties
Player of the Match
Lionel Messi or Wout Weghorst or Emiliano Martínez
Points of Interest
- Is this World Cup the ultimate answer to the question of who is greater out of Messi and Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar is demoted and without a club during this World Cup, while Messi stars for Argentina and is still in demand with his club PSG, former club Barcelona and any US Major League Soccer team that can afford him.
Quarter Final Netherlands v Argentina Starting Teams
NETHERLANDS (3-4-1-2)
23 Noppert
2 Timber
4 van Dijk
5 Aké
22 Dumfries
15 de Roon
21 de Jong
17 Blind
8 Gakpo
10 Depay
7 Bergwijn
ARGENTINA (5-3-2)
23 Martínez
26 Molina
13 Romero
19 Otamendi
25 Martínez
8 Acuña
7 De Paul
24 Fernández
20 Mac Allister
10 Messi
9 Álvarez
Quarter Final Netherlands v Argentina Match Stats
Coming soon.
