Wintop covers for you all the latest news from Qatar as the 2022 FIFA World Cup enters its final week. The quarter-finals have concluded, but the semi-finals will begin on Tuesday between Argentina and Croatia. Let’s take a look at the latest developments in the competition!
Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw
Argentina and Lionel Messi’s dreams are still alive at the World Cup. The South American powerhouse defeated the Netherlands in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals.
Number-three Argentina was determined to win and avoid becoming the day’s second upset, following Croatia’s victory over top-ranked and tournament favorite Brazil.
Argentina scored first, thanks to Lionel Messi. The star player somehow threaded the ball through three Dutch defenders to Nahuel Molina in the 35th minute.
Molina pushed it past the towering 6-foot-8 Netherlands goalkeeper Andries Noppert with his right foot. Molina scored his first international goal.
Then, in the 73rd minute, Messi made his presence felt by lining up to take a penalty kick. Messi caught the keeper off guard with a quick strike low and to the right, extending Argentina’s lead to 2-0.
Despite a 2-0 deficit, the Dutch did not give up. Wout Weghorst, a substitute, dissected the Argentine defense and pierced the goal in the 83rd minute, keeping the Netherlands within 2-1.
It was a rough, physical battle. Antonio Mateu, the referee, called 48 fouls and issued a record 17 yellow cards.
Deep into stoppage time (90’+11), Weghorst scored again on a beautiful set piece to tie the game at 2-2 just before the referee blew the whistle to force extra time. It would still be insufficient to determine a winner.
The game went to penalty kicks, where Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez dazzled, blocking the first two Dutch attempts, while Argentina scored on its first three attempts to win 2-2. (4-3).
Messi showed anger towards Netherlands coach Van Gaal
Several players engaged in heated altercations with one another during and after Argentina’s FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands.
After scoring again in the penalty shootout, Messi approached the Dutch coaching staff after the game, appearing to tell Van Gaal and his staff, “You talk too much.”
“I feel disrespected by Van Gaal after his pre-game comments, and some Dutch players spoke too much during the game,” Messi said after the game to reporters.
“I heard Van Gaal saying that in a penalty shoot-out they had the advantage, or if we went to penalties, they would win – I think he needs to keep his mouth shut.” teammate and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said.
Lionel Messi appeared to snap during his interview after seeing Wout Weghorst pass him, as he interrupted the TyC Sports interviewer and asked the Dutch star, “What are you looking at, dummy?” Proceed with caution.
“Get out of here,” says Lionel Messi to Wout Weghorst. Later on. Messi expressed dissatisfaction with the game’s referee Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz.
“I don’t want to talk about the referee because they sanction you for being honest,” he said.
“I think people saw what it was. FIFA cannot use this kind of referee for this type of match.”
Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz was reportedly removed from the 2022 World Cup after his controversial performance officiating Argentina’s quarterfinal win over the Netherlands on Friday.
He will not work any of the tournament’s remaining four games. The Spanish official, who works in La Liga in Spain, has already left Qatar.
