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Argentina are one step closer to making their long-cherished dream a reality. On Tuesday (December 13), they rode a Julian Alvarez brace and a Lionel Messi masterclass to beat Croatia and seal another World Cup final appearance.
It was the clash of two ageing magicians entering the twilight of their giddy careers as Messi's Argentina took on Luca Modric's Croatia at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in the first semifinal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina had begun the World Cup in the most inasuspicious of circumstances, getting shocked by Saudi Arabia, but turned their campaign around with both grit and class.
Meanwhile, 2018 finalists Croatia had never found fluency but soldiered through to the last four on the back of a series of heroic performances by their rearguard and midfield despite winning just one game outright, that too against outsiders Canada.
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The semi-final clash began with that triumvirate at the centre of the park, as Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic kept the ball with some nifty passing and pushed the Argentines back.
Chances, though, were at a premium, with Ivan Perisic, who has also had a great tournament, cutting in from the left and shooting over the bar, coming closest to scoring for the Vatreni (31').
Immediately after, the Albiceleste launched a rare counter as Modric was dispossessed and Enzo Fernandes floated in a ball into the box with Julian Alvarez having acres of space to run in to. One of Croatia's heroes, Dominik Livakovic in goal, rushed out as Alvarez's weak chip was cleared off the line. But the referee immediately pointed to the spot, with Alvarez having run into the 'keeper. A harsh penalty and a yellow for the goalie in red-hot form.
Up stepped Messi, and the maestro blasted it high past Livakovic to the latter's left who dived the right way but was beaten by power and accuracy. Argentina 1-0 up (34').
It took just five minutes for the two-time world champions to double their lead. Again on a quick break from a failed Croatian short corner, Messi was clanged into by his man, but Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez took over the ball and began charging at the goal with a fresh directness.
Twice the Croats had the chance to clear the ball, as Josip Juranovic and Josko Gvardiol both fluffed their lines. Their weak attempts both to hack the ball away fell to Alvarez who got one-on-one with the 'keeper and slotted it home past him (39'). Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic had to bring on forwards, as Nikola Vlasic anf Bruno Petkovic were inserted into the game.
The Croats have struggled for goals and fluency in this Cup, and their best chances to pull one back fell to centre-back Dejan Lovren. His header from a free-kick and bizarre miss from ten yards out from a flicked-on corner late in the piece were not good enough. They also had a couple of long-range attempts that were more hit and hope than anything else.
As spaces opened up at the other end, Argentina threatened to add to their tally. Messi played a great give and go on the left side, but his weak shot was saved by Livakovic. However, Argentina's third was inexorable, and it was their 35-year-old GOAT who provided it with some characteristic sprinkling of stardust.
Messi received the ball on the right flank near the centre circle with Gvardiol tight on him. But he somehow turned the young defender and then ran to the touchline. The Leipzig man had caught up to La Pulga by then, but he was once again dodged past with a piece of silken skill: a turn towards his own goal and a change of direction with a quick drop of the shoulders.
Leo then squared it low to Alvarez, and the unmarked striker shot past a hapless Livakovic (69'). That was game set and match. Argentina will now await the winner of France and Morocco for the grand showdown on Sunday at the same venue.
Can their adversaries on final night snatch away from the brilliant Messi and his determined supporting cast the World Cup that looks like his destiny? We will find out on Sunday. On that note, here are the talking points from the first semifinal of the 2022 World Cup.
#5 Messi reaches 11 World Cup goals, overtakes Gabriel Batistuta
Before this edition, Lionel Messi had not scored in a World Cup knockout game. By netting against Australia in the second round, he took care of that ignominous stat.
By converting his penalty and notching up his fifth of the campaign, he overtook Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time leading scorer at the Mundial. This was the magic man's 11th goal at the Cup.
#4 Argentina maintain 100 per cent World Cup semifinal record
This was La Albiceleste's fifth World Cup semifinal. Amazingly, they have never lost a single one of these ties going back to the inaugural World Cup in 1930. Argentina had beaten the Netherlands in 2014 to make their last final in Brazil.
Eight years later, the Copa America holders have won another semifinal to make their sixth World Cup final.
#3 Much-vaunted Croat defence falters under glare of spotlight
One only had good things to say about the brilliant Croatian defence in this World Cup. The work done by the magnificent Gvardiol and the steady Lovren at the heart of the backline was complemented by Sosa and Juranovic in the full-back positions. They also had a marvelous last line of defense in 'keeper Livakovic.
The Croatians had frustrated the might of Brazil till deep into the first half of extra time before Neymar tricked his way through for a worldie. They had also shut out Belgium in the group stage and prevailed on penalties in their last two rounds.
In the semi-inal against Argentina, though, Gvardiol seemed prone to errors, his youth probably getting the better of him. Croatia left Alvarez free down the centre for the penalty, and both Juranovic and Gvardiol made errors for the second. Messi later got the better of the latter for the third.
#2 Alvarez scores brace, Scaloni gets his tactics right
Julian Alvarez has made this World Cup his own in his own right. His two goals on the night were both classic striker's finishes, and he has now made it four strikes in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, emerging as the perfect foil to Messi.
Meanwhile, Lionel Scaloni let Croatia keep the ball in midfield, staying wary of their threat down the wing. That worked in Argentina's favour as the Croatians clearly prefer to sit back in a mid-block. By getting so much of the ball, they fell for the counter-attack trap.
#1 Last bow for the other LM 10?
This was the battle of two LM10s, lest we forget. Former Ballon d'Or (2018) and 2018 Golden Ball winner Luka Modric had a wonderful World Cup again.
His tireless work and metronomic passing took an above-average side beyond their potential again. Finalists last time, the small nation of four million made it to the last four this time, thanks in no small measure to the other LM 10.
It wasn't his night against Argentina, though, and when Modric was taken off late in the game, he probably made his last bow in a Croat shirt in a game of real significance. We will probably see him in the third-fourth playoff on Saturday, but we all know it isn't the same thing.
A staid end to one of the greatest international careers in all probability.
