MY ACCOUNT
Argentina will face “karma” for their actions during their 4-3 penalty shoot-out triumph against the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-finals, says former Italy international Claudio Marchisio.
La Albiceleste reached the semi-finals for the second time in three tournaments after they prevailed on penalties following a late Oranje rally that saw extra time finish with the scores level at 2-2.
The match was an extremely fractious affair and broke the World Cup record for cards handed out, with referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz brandishing 14 yellows and one red.
But the behaviour of Argentina in victory – with Nicolas Otamendi taunting the defeated Dutch squad after penalties the standout from several displays of poor sportsmanship – will haunt them, claims Marchisio
“Watch out,” Marchisio wrote on Twitter. “What you sow, you will reap. The law of karma is inexorable, evasion is impossible, [to quote] Mahatma Gandhi.”
Tempers appeared closing to boiling over at several points during Friday’s match, and the bad blood was still evident well after Lautaro Martinez’s penalty sealed victory for Argentina.
Lionel Messi was seen to remonstrate with Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, while he also was involved in a verbal altercation with Oranje forward Wout Weghorst during a post-match interview.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez meanwhile accused referee Lahoz of being “useless”. Messi refused to criticise the official’s performance, citing expected punishment if he did.
Argentina will face Croatia on Tuesday in the first semi-final of Qatar 2022, with Lionel Scaloni’s side looking to reach their second final in eight years, after Brazil 2014.
