Incredible but real. Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia, the most accessible a priori rival, and was compromised. With high pressure in search of the round of 16, thinking of winning both games. Though mathematically, they have chances to qualify with four points (one win and one tie). But it must be taken into account that they will have two stronger teams ahead of them, such as Mexico on Saturday from 4:00 p.m. and Poland on Wednesday the 30th at the same time.
A fact in favor, facing the match with Mexico (it goes by TyC, DTV and Public TV), is that it will play with the result of Poland-Saudi Arabia, which they play at 10.
In Russia 2018, the National Team drew with Iceland, then 0-3 with Croatia and qualified with four points, winning Nigeria on the last date. And with a team, Croatia, that was cut and won the nine points, something that helped the others not to add.
The last time the National Team had lost in a debut it had been against Cameroon in Italy 90, playing the opening match because he came from being champion. He was able to get ahead and came third, going with Brazil in the round of 16, although with no lesser data: there the victory was worth two points.
As an optimistic look, there was a champion who lost in his debut: Esáña, in South Africa 2010. And in the last World Cups there were always between two and four teams that qualified with four points, in case there are two victories.
In the event that they do not win and draw against Mexico, they will be able to reach a maximum of 4 points, so it would be good for Poland (it would reach 2) to equalize with Saudi Arabia (4), and winning on the last date would qualify Without depending on anyone.
In the event that Saudi Arabia wins (it would reach 6 and qualify), then it should beat Poland (1) and that Mexico (2) does not beat Saudi. And if Poland is the one that wins (it would reach 4 points and Arabia would be 3), it would not depend on itself: it also has to beat Poland but hope that Mexico (it would reach 5) or Arabia (4) do not win.
PREVIOUS CASES WITH FOUR POINTS, WORLD BY WORLD
If they do not win both games, it is clear that it will be difficult to go through with four points. Beyond the fact that there are cases that have been classified the same, as in the Russia 2018 con Argentina and also with Japan, who went through yellow cards (Fair Play) over Senegal. Those were the two teams that went through with four.
In 2014for instance, Greece qualified to the round of 16 with 4 points, in a zone in which Colombia added 9, the Ivory Coast 3 and Japan 1. The same happened with Nigeria, precisely in the group that Argentina won with nine points: Bosnia and Iran were below. And it was repeated in Group G of Germany (7), with United States (4) over Portugal (4). And also Algeria,, there were four groups in which they passed with four points.
In 2010, there were also four teams that qualified with four units: Mexico, South Korea, Ghana, Slovakia. And even Paraguay won a zone with five points…
POSITIONS
In Germany 2006, There were only two teams that managed to qualify with four points: Mexico (Portugal leading with 9 points) and Australia (with Brazil adding 9).
Already in Japan-Korea 2002the National Team was left out precisely adding four points… While Paraguay, Turkey, Italy, the United States, 50% of the seconds, found the round of 16 with four points.
And France 98, In the first World Cup in which three points were awarded for victory, there were two teams that passed with few points: Denmark with four and Chile with three.
EL FIXTURE
Messi’s analysis of the match
“This group stands out for its unity and group strength, it’s time for that, to show that we’re really strong. It’s been a while since a situation like this has happened and we have to be forced. We have to think about what’s coming and prepare well.”
-“(To the people) that they trust, it is a very hard blow for everyone, for the people and us. We did not expect it. That they trust that this group is not going to leave them lying (the same phrase from Scaloni to Olé in the previous ), we have already played games with this characteristic and we take it forward”.
“It is a moment to be more united than ever, to stomp. We did not expect this but it depends on us.”