Fifa World Cup ARG vs CRO Highlights: Alvarez, Messi get Argentina in final

Fifa World Cup, Argentina vs Croatia Highlights: The Albiceleste beat Vetreni 3-0 in a battle of Messi and Modric. Argentina reached a record sixth World Cup final. Croatia go home without the trophy

2:34 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Match Summary

 

90+ Minutes

 

It would be the record sixth entry into the World Cup final for the Albieceleste as Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 in a one-sided semi-final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar. The men in sky blue were led by Lionel Messi himself who scored the first goal courtesy of a penalty. 

 

However, it was totally Julian Alvarez’s game as he not only created the first penalty but scored the wonder second goal by carrying the ball from almost the half pitch to the goal alone and then goy an assist from Messi to complete a brace. 

 

Croatai were not any match to the Argentines as the team from Esat Europe could get only two shots on target even after having 66% possession of the ball. 

 

Argentina and Croatia would both await the result of the second semi-final between France and Morocco as the winner of that game will meet Argentina in the final while the loser will play Croatia for the third place playoff. 

 

ARG 3-0 CRO

 

2:27 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Argentina into the final

2:21 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: 5 minutes added to the regular time

2:20 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Majer keeps it on target

 

88 Minutes

 

Lovro Majer, who has come in once again late in the game keeps a shot on target and shows glimpses of the potential that he carries. He is being seen as a man who will replace Modric in the team going forward. 

 

ARG 3-0 CRO

 

2:16 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Only five minutes remain in regulation time now

2:15 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Just one shot on target for Croatia in this entire game

Stats

2:12 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Modric looks frustrated too

 

80 Minutes

 

Looking at Luka Modric, even the legend thinks that it is gone for all money and his dream of holding the world cup trophy would remain unfulfilled this time around as well. he went for a shot at goal, but instead, the ball bounced off an Argentine defender and hit his own face and he looked so helpless and frustrated. 

 

ARG 3-0 CRO

 

2:06 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: 15 minutes plus injury time left for Croatia to comeback

2:04 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Messi the provider, Alvarez the scorer

 

69 Minutes

 

If there ever existed a perfect World Cup semi-final for Argentina, it is this one. It is not only because they are leading 3-0 with 70 minutes gone, but also because the three goals have been fantastic and have involved one man called Julian Alvarez. This one was more of a goal of Messi bit went into Alvarez’s account. 

 

Messi did the dribbling and circled out Gvardiol who followed him with the mask on, but Messi cut the back line and then passed the ball to Alvarez who was waiting in front of the Croatian goal and netted the ball past Livakovic for Argentina’s third. This is almost the end of the game here 

 

ARG 3-0 CRO

 

1:59 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Yellow card to Romero

1:56 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Time running out for Croatia

 

65 Minutes

 

Time is running out for Croatia who are two goals behind. However, they can take inspiration from the Netherlands who scored their first goal in the 81st minute and then the second one in injury time to push the game into extra time against Argentina in the quarterfinal. But whether they will be able to do that is yet to be seen. 

 

ARG 2-0 CRO

1:51 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Even after 60 minutes, Croatia has most of the possession

Stats

1:47 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Majer might be in early today

 

55 Minutes

 

Lovro Majer who has come off the bench in every game is seen running on the sidelines which is indication enough that he would be coming in way early than his usual entry time of around 80 minutes

 

ARG 2-0 CRO

 

1:42 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Petkovic comes in for Croatia

 

50 Minutes

 

The man who changed the game against Brazil, Bruno Petkovic has been called in by Croatia as crisis deepens for the Vetreni and Petkovic knows how to get out of such a mess

 

ARG 2-0 CRO

 

1:40 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: The second half begins

1:30 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: That’s where the first half ended

1:23 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: It has been Argentina’s half no doubt

 

45 Minutes

 

The Argentine side, after being down for the most part of the first 20 minutes, bounced back tremendously and scored two goals, one courtesy of a penalty because of the foul committed on Alvarez and one courtesy of a brilliant run by the man who attracted the foul for the first penalty. Alvarez has been the man of the moment and Messi has increased his goal tally courtesy of that penalty that he got. 

 

Croatia would now have to do really a lot to come back into the second half and try and force the game into the extra time or win it straightaway. 

 

ARG 2-0 CRO

 

1:17 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: 4 minutes added in first half

1:14 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Wonder goal from Alvarez puts Argentina 2-0 up

 

39 Minutes

 

If Alvarez were the catalyst of the last goal, he is the ultimate bonafide scorer for this one. Croatia tried a variation in their corner which failed miserably and Argentina went on a counter-attack through Enzo Fernandez who passed the ball at the half line to number nine Alvarez. 

 

From the half line, Alvarez ran with the ball and beat Bruno Sosa and goalkeeper Livakocic on the way to score a proper effort goal and put his team 2-0 ahead in the semi-final. 

 

ARG 2-0 CRO

 

1:08 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Livakovic and Kovacic fouled Alvarez to hand Argentina the penalty

1:05 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Penalty to Argentina and Messi scores

1:03 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Argentina making a comeback

 

Stats

12:55 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: It's all Croatia for now

 

22 Minutes

 

The first 20 minutes have been all Croatia as the men in dark blue have had almost 65% possession and the only shot on goal as well. Though it is very early in the game and Argentina can surely make a comeback no doubt. 

 

ARG 0-0 CRO

 

12:48 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: No shots by any team so far

 

17 Minutes

 

Even as the first seventeen minutes of the game have passed, no team, neither Croatia nor Argentina have been able to even get a shot on gaol, which is enough to say how this game is going to go 

 

ARG 0-0 CRO

 

12:34 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Croatia Starting 11

 

Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic

 

12:33 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Argentina Starting 11

Damian Martinez, Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, De Paul, Paredes, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Messi, Alvarez.

12:30 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Midfield maestro would be tested

 

Midfield maestro Luka Modric and his men would be targeting Messi and the Argentine midfielders to try and block them away from scoring, Ivan Perisic and Petkovic on the other hand would be looking to convert the scoring opportunities to build early pressure on the Albiselectos. 

 

Thus this semifinal makes for a very interesting watch and the entire world would be looking forward to that. 

 

12:29 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Argentina would look to get the ball to Messi as much as possible

 

Argentina have the likes of Rodrigo de Paul, Angel di Maria, Acuna and Molina as star players while Enzo Fernandes is the rising talent and they all combine to get the ball to Lionel Messi as soon as possible. The tactics would be the same this time around as well. Only that they would be up against a team which is very hard to get through in the midfield. 

 

12:28 AM

Argentina vs Croatia, Semifinal Live Score: Modric vs Messi

 

Luka Modric-led Croatia will be up against Lionel Messi. Finest in their class, the two players are reaching that age at which they must live their dream of lifting the World Cup and they are ready to do anything to live that dream. Now, just a game away from living that dream of playing the final and lifting the trophy, they would look to finish with finesse. 

 

12:27 AM

Welcome to the live coverage of the Semifinal clash between Argentina and Croatia

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Semifinal clash between Argentina and Croatia. The match takes place at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Stay tuned to Business Standard for all the critical updates from the game.