MY ACCOUNT
– Argentina have lost just one of their last 41 games
– Croatia have won only one game in 90 minutes in Qatar
– Recommended bet: Messi’s men to come out on top in regulation
Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted defeat in his effort to secure a World Cup winner’s medal but his great rival, Lionel Messi, has looked like a man on a mission at Qatar 2022 and will be intent on leading Argentina to semi-final success over Croatia at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Argentina have recovered impressively since their 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, but they face a stubborn and spirited Croatia, who have already dumped pre-tournament favourites Brazil out of the competition.
Team news
Argentina attacker Papu Gomez missed their quarter-final with an ankle injury and remains doubtful, but Angel Di Maria shook off a minor injury to feature as a substitute against the Netherlands and he will be pushing for a starting berth.
Defenders Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna picked up their second bookings of the tournament against the Dutch and both serve one-match bans.
Croatia defender Josip Stanisic (muscle strain) was unable to feature against Brazil and he remains an injury doubt.
However, left back Borna Sosa recovered from illness to start against the five-time winners and he is expected to keep his place.
The stats
Argentina’s loss to Saudi Arabia was probably the biggest shock of the tournament but it was also a one-off for Lionel Scaloni’s side, who have been incredibly consistent over the last three years.
The Albiceleste have lost just one of their last 41 matches and have been victorious in 11 of 14 contests in 2022.
Croatia have established a reputation as penalty-taking experts, having won all of their four shootouts at World Cup finals, including spot-kick success over Japan (3-1) and Brazil (4-2) over the last eight days.
Zlatko Dalic’s side are unbeaten in their last 11 matches but their only 90-minute success in Qatar was a 4-1 group-stage triumph over Canada.
Prediction
Argentina have not looked back since Lionel Messi swept them into a 1-0 lead against Mexico and they can advance to their fifth World Cup final by defeating Croatia without the need of extra-time or penalties, which is available at 5/6 with LiveScore Bet.
Emiliano Martinez was Argentina’s penalty saving hero against the Netherlands but the fascinating prospect of a head-to-head between him and Croatia’s seemingly nerveless penalty takers can be averted.
Croatia have had to dig incredibly deep to reach this stage and their will to win was evident when they came from behind to eliminate the Brazilians.
However, there are certain to be some tired legs and minds in the Croatian ranks and the short turnaround may count against them.
Argentina may have to show some patience, but they were relentless in their approach to the knockout matches against Australia and the Netherlands and should not have needed spot-kicks to get the better of the Dutch, who were second best for long periods.
Scaloni matched up the Netherlands by going with a back three, but he looks set to go with a more attacking line-up against Croatia in a bid to get the game won inside normal time.
Di Maria could start the game but Messi will take on the greatest responsibility and is highly likely to come up with a match-winning contribution, with the latter scoring in an Argentina win on offer at 9/4 with LiveScore Bet.
Qatar 2022 Squads: They Score, You Score!
LiveScore Bet’s World Cup 2022 Squads is free and simple to play. Log in to view the Squads page, where you will get the chance to reveal up to five players. Your squad will earn you cash for each goal scored in the listed games. Reveal each player at the stated time throughout the round to complete your line-up. T&Cs apply – click here for more details.
