After reaching the semi-finals in dramatic fashion following a penalty shootout, La Albiceleste takes on the Checkered Ones for a place in the final at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Argentina vs. Croatia kicks off at 20:00 (GMT+1) on Tuesday, December 13, at Lusail Stadium.
Argentina meets Croatia in back-to-back episodes of the FIFA World Cup, having reached the semi-finals for only a second time since 1990, where they met Italy in a 1-1 draw before progressing via penalties. The White & Sky Blue found their way into the semi-finals following a penalty shootout with the Netherlands after both sides were locked in a 2-2 draw at the end of extra time, having blown a two-goal lead. "From my point of view, we didn't deserve to go to penalties, but even so, the team continued to show its face," Lionel Scaloni said after the "ugly game," which saw Argentina emerge victorious following a 4-3 win. Argentina [LWWWD] are now looking to reach the final of the World Cup for the first time since 2014, when they lost to Germany 1-0 after extra time. However, the White & Sky Blue have only racked up one victory [1W, 0D, & 2L] in their last three meetings against the Checkered Ones, a 2-1 win back in November 2014 where Lionel Messi found the back of the net from the spot. Scaloni made the switch from a 4—3—3 against the Socceroos to a defensive 5—3—2 against the Flying Dutchmen. Knowing that Croatia has been a handful in recent times having seen Argentina concede seven times in three meetings against the Checkered Ones, the 44-year-old is expected to keep the defensive shape in place with Julián Álvarez and Lionel Messi in attack.
The Checkered Ones dug deep to find their way past Brazil via a penalty shootout after Bruno Petković (117’) found the leveler, three minutes shy of full-time in extra-time. Both sides had failed to score in regular time until Neymar (105’+1) found the back of the net in the first half of extra time. "Once again we demonstrated what it means not to surrender," Zlatko Dalić said after seeing his side knock out the five-time World Cup champions. Croatia is looking to reach the World Cup final for the second time in a row, having done so in Russia. Both sides last met at the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where Croatia [DWDDD] swept Argentina aside in a 3-0 win. Bruno Petković is expected to return to the starting line-up having made an off-the-bench appearance against the Little Canary. The 28-year-old Dinamo Zagreb forward is expected to join Mario Pašalić and Ivan Perišić in attack in Dalić’s 4—3—3. It remains to be seen if this episode in Qatar will play out as it did four years ago, in a World Cup tournament already filled with so many upsets and similarities.
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