4/12/2022–|Last updated: 4/12/202212:10 AM (Makkah)
The Argentina national team set up a fiery meeting with its Dutch counterpart in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup held in the State of Qatar, after its difficult victory over Australia, 2-1, in the final price matches, which were held at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium.
The “Tango” team owes victory to its star Lionel Messi and promising striker Julian Alvarez, who scored both goals, while Craig Goodwin narrowed the difference by scoring Australia’s only goal.
As expected, the Australian “kangaroo” started the match as a defender and narrowed the spaces for Lionel Messi’s teammates, who clearly suffered in the play industry, and threatened goalkeeper Matthew Ryan.
Indeed, the Argentine national team posed no significant danger to Ryan, as all attempts were destroyed at the borders of the penalty area.
On the other hand, Australia’s attempts were shy, as Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez seemed comfortable in his place.
And Lionel Messi succeeded in deciphering the defense code of the Australian national team, after exchanging the ball with Nicholas Otamendi, before he hit it on the floor to the right of Ryan in the net, at the 35th minute, which was Messi’s first goal in the World Cup knockout rounds.
Argentina goal “35”: #argentina 1-0 #Australia#Qatar2022 #World_Cup_Qatar_2022 #CupChannels @Socceroos #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup @Argentina @afa #All together #Argentina pic.twitter.com/mDf7Pe1jcM
– Al-Kass channels (@alkasschannel) December 3, 2022
In his 1,000th match, Messi broke up his partnership with his late compatriot Diego Armando Maradona, to finish second in the race for the historic scorers for the Argentine national team in the World Cup, by reaching the ninth goal, and a single goal separates him from equalizing Gabriel Omar Batistuta’s number.
After the break, Ryan made a fatal mistake, in which he gifted the Argentine national team a second goal, after fierce pressure from Rodrigo de Paul, so that Julian Alvarez grabbed the ball and put it easily into the net at the 57th minute.
Argentina’s goal “57”: #argentina 2-0 #Australia#Qatar2022 #World_Cup_Qatar_2022 #CupChannels @Socceroos #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup @Argentina @afa #All together #Argentina pic.twitter.com/NKuDZ7J6iq
– Al-Kass channels (@alkasschannel) December 3, 2022
And from the first real threat, the Australian national team managed to reduce the difference, with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area by Craig Goodwin, which hit Enzo Fernandez, to change direction and settle into Martinez’s net in the 77th minute.
Australia goal “77”: Argentina 2-1 Australia#Qatar2022 #World_Cup_Qatar_2022 #CupChannels @Socceroos #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup @Argentina @afa #All together #Argentina pic.twitter.com/iJUAWrVC4B
– Al-Kass channels (@alkasschannel) December 3, 2022
The Australian “kangaroo” approached the amendment after Aziz Behich manipulated four Argentine players, before storming the penalty area, but collided with a heroic intervention from Romero, so the ball turned into a corner.
On the other hand, substitute Lautaro Martinez missed the opportunity to kill the match, after a solo effort from Messi, who delivered the ball to the Inter striker in a privileged place to score, but the first sent the ball away from the goal frame.
The Argentine national team will face its Dutch counterpart, in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar, on Friday, December 9, 2022, at the Education City Stadium.