The two runners-up of the last two World Cups go head-to-head in an epic first-semifinal clash in Doha on Tuesday at 8 pm local time.
After that painful defeat to Saudi Arabia in their first game, Argentina has gone four games at this year’s World Cup without defeat and is in search of a sixth World Cup final.
The South American nation threw a two-goal lead after 83 minutes against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals as the game went to penalty shootouts but the brilliance of Emiliano Martinez saw Lionel Messi and co qualify for their sixth World Cup semi-final.
The two-time World champions led by Lionel Messi will have to correct the mistakes of the past after that painful defeat to Germany in the 2014 final.
But in doing so, they will have overcome a tough resilient Croatian side that is making their third semifinal appearance at the World Cup.
The 2018 runners-up eliminated top favourites, Brasil in a penalty shootout that saw Modric and co-seal a Semifinal ticket against Argentina.
Both sides have met five times with two victories each and one draw.
This will be their third World Cup meeting and have both shared the victories – with Argentina winning 1-0 in 1998 and Croatia winning 3-0 in 2018.
Match Facts
- Croatia has gone to extra time in eight of their last nine major tournament knockout matches including the games against Japan and Brasil in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
- Messi will equal Germany’s Great Luther Matthaus’ 25-match tournament appearance record against Croatia.
- Victory for Croatia will see them become the second European nation to eliminate Brasil and Argentina in a World Cup knockout after Germany in 2014.
- A victory for Argentina will see them qualify for a sixth World Cup final. Only Germany outclass that number with eight.
- Argentina has never lost a semifinal match at the World Cup in five attempts (1930, 1978, 1986, 1990 &2014)
- Argentina has won just one of their last seven games against European sides (D3, L3) and that was against Poland this year. Note that two draws have ended in shootout victories.
- Croatia could become the fourth European nation to reach back-to-back World Cup finals after Italy (1934 & 1938), the Netherlands(1974 & 1978) and Germany( 1982, 1986 & 1990)
- Croatia has won all four of their penalty shootouts at the World Cup knockout including Japan and Brasil this year. But Argentina is the only nation with more penalty Shootouts at the World Cup with five.
