Netherlands 2 (3) Argentina 2 (4)
By Jason Burt at the Lusail Iconic Stadium
A night of high drama turned into an early morning of frenzied, taunting, ugly relief and with the beautiful dream still alive for Lionel Messi's Argentina.
It was 12.55am in a still packed Lusail Stadium, with swathes of baying blue and white praying for Lautaro Martinez to strike home the winning penalty and end the shootout. The striker did just that as Argentina defeated the Netherlands who had mounted the most improbable and extraordinary of comebacks through substitute Wout Weghorst – still a Burnley player – when it seemed they were destined to exit the tournament.
Weghorst’s second goal even came through a stunningly clever free-kick routine – which was his idea – but that was out of kilter with everything the Dutch had previously done.
It was feisty, downright dirty and with huge amounts of gamesmanship. Even the post-match interviews were aggressive with Messi snapping at the Dutch camp as he talked.
Prior to that it appeared that Messi had defined his own destiny with a brilliant assist and a second-half penalty, before Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal went route one by bringing on two giant strikers and even throwing captain Virgil van Dijk up front. The Dutch launched it. Van Gaal-ball was hoofball; 1980s Wimbledon-style.
If it was Lautaro Martinez who scored the decisive kick then it was another Martinez, the Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was the hero as he superbly saved the first two penalties from the Dutch, including turning away Van Dijk’s effort as he started the shootout. After his last-minute block to deny Australia in the previous round, Martinez is becoming an increasingly vital figure in Argentina’s quest.
If they had lost, this would have been 35-year-old Messi’s last World Cup appearance – just think about that – and would have meant his career closing without winning this trophy. But he goes on and it is Luka Modric’s Croatia who Argentina will face back at this stadium on Tuesday.
Instead, it is the end for another football legend with Van Gaal departing. The 71-year-old is stepping down after this tournament and this is the second World Cup in which he has lost to Argentina on penalties after the 2014 semi-final in Brazil.
Latest edition in a long grudge-match
It is a quarter-final that will also be remembered as the Battle of Lusail and another epic chapter in the rivalry between these two nations to rank up there with the 1978 World Cup final in Buenos Aires and the Dennis Bergkamp-inspired quarter-final in 1998. Maybe this one will belong to Martinez.
Messi thought it was his. Then Weghorst thought it was his as he came on and scored two goals in 20 minutes – having taken 1,457 minutes at Burnley to register the same total before deciding he did not fancy dropping down to the Championship and so went on loan to Besiktas in Turkey this season.
It was not a good night for Spanish referee Antonio Mateu, who brandished 15 yellow cards (one short of the record) and a red for Denzel Dumfries – and Messi could have been sent off after somehow not being booked for a deliberate handball – as he lost control. Near the end of normal time, Argentina substitute Leandro Paredes not only scythed down Nathan Ake, but then hammered the ball into the Dutch dugout and sparked a mass confrontation as he was barged over by Van Dijk.
It had all seemed routine for Argentina. The Dutch were rank. They barely strung a pass together and were outplayed. It felt like only a matter of time and when the goal came it was memorable for the pass of the tournament. And of course it was delivered by Messi. It came as he collected possession and ran from right to left about 30 yards out before playing a superb reverse pass, without appearing to even look and through Ake’s legs, to pick out the run of Nahuel Molina past a thicket of players. It was astonishing. The weight of the pass meant the full-back was suddenly through on goal and he stabbed the ball past Andries Noppert as the goalkeeper rushed out.
Into the second-half and it felt game over when Marcos Acuna was foolishly tripped by Dumfries. Messi missed his last penalty but he buried this one. Having failed from the spot against Poland, he collected the ball again and planted it to the goalkeeper’s left.
Van Gaal was unapologetic with his tactics. The Dutch had nothing to lose and so launched the ball long and it caused panic in an Argentinean defence that conceded free-kick after free-kick. Finally they got the delivery right with Weghorst powerfully heading a goal back.
There was more panic. And more free-kicks. Still, it was in the 10th minute of added time that Teun Koopermeiners had the presence of mind to pick out Weghorst with a precise free-kick, rather than taking the shot, and he smashed in the equaliser to force a period of extra-time that belonged to Argentina.
During that time the Dutch, who played for penalties, were holding on with Enzo Fernandez striking a post and Martinez twice going close. When he eventually did find the net it was with that final penalty before the gloating began. This one will also resonate.
