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Argentina will face off against the Netherlands in a mouthwatering 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-final fixture on Friday.
Both Argentina and the Netherlands finished at the top of their respective groups to book a berth in the round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Louis van Gaal's side subsequently produced their most composed performance of the tournament yet to dispatch the USA 3-1 last Saturday to progress to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Argentina survived a late scare to beat Australia 2-1 in their round of 16 encounter. Lionel Messi opened the scoring for La Albiceleste before Julian Alvarez extended their lead. An Enzo Fernandez own-goal gave Australia a glimmer of hope in the closing stages but they couldn't make it count in the end.
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With the Netherlands and Argentina squaring off against each other, we're expecting to see a cracker of a contest. It's difficult to predict which way this one is going to go but we believe that Argentina will beat the Netherlands tonight.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Argentina will win against the Netherlands.
#5 Argentina's midfielders are in great form
After suffering a shock 2-1 defeat in their World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia, Argentina have bounced back and won their last three games. They dominated possession and created the majority of chances, particularly in their last two games, which came against Poland and Australia.
The form of Argentinian midfielders Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandes and Alexis Mac Allister has been crucial to the improvement that Scaloni's men have shown of late. All three have been tenacious in the centre of the pitch and not only have they been adept at keeping a hold of the ball but they've also excelled at winning it back.
The Netherlands midfield have done a decent job but they could find themselves playing catch-up with their Argentinian counterparts on Friday.
The Netherlands enjoyed just 41% possession in the game against the USA. It's unlikely to be much different against Argentina who have dominated possession in all their matches so far at the World Cup.
#4 This is the Netherlands' first real test of the tournament
The Netherlands haven't played a team that's truly at their level yet at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They've come against considerably weaker opposition. They topped a group that had the likes of Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar.
The Dutchmen beat USA in the round of 16. Argentina, on the other hand, have already played teams like Poland and Mexico and looked comfortable against them. As such, they ought to be more prepared for the quarter-final game than Van Gaal's men.
#3 Emiliano Martinez gives Argentina an edge in penalty shootouts
It's worth noting that the last two World Cup meetings between Argentina and the Netherlands in 2006 and 2014 ended 0-0. The 2014 meeting was in the semi-finals and Argentina progressed to the final on penalties.
Although the chances of this game ending in a goalless stalemate are rather low, it wouldn't be surprising if the two teams can't be separated at the end of 90 minutes. The two sides looked well-matched on paper after all.
But if the game does go to penalties, Argentina will have the edge. La Albiceleste's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has proven to be formidable in shootouts as evidenced by his excellent performance in the 2021 Copa America.
#2 Argentina's squad depth gives them the edge
Fatigue becomes a factor the deeper a team goes into any tournament. Teams will be forced to rely on their substitutes extensively especially in the knockout stages where matches could drag into extra-time.
Argentina's bench strength is much greater than that of the Netherlands. They have players like Paulo Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Lisandro Martinez and Leandro Paredes to come off the bench and affect proceedings.
Van Gaal has options on the bench too but they are not of the same quality as Argentina's.
#1 Lionel Messi's form
Lionel Messi has predictably been one of the best players of the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far. Despite missing a penalty in the game against Poland, Messi has three goals and one assist to his name in four appearances in the tournament so far.
Messi has come up clutch in games against Mexico and Australia. The 35-year-old also showcased his exquisite dribbling skills in the round of 16 against the Aussies and looked capable of winning the game all by himself.
Messi's goal against Graham Arnold's side exuded class and he looks like a man on a mission at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. His incredible creativity and technical proficiency will be key to Argentina's attack once again and the Netherlands will have to outdo themselves to keep him at bay.
