Argentina Vs Croatia Final Scores, Highlights, World Cup 2022 Semi-Final Match Results

Lionel Messi and Argentina may be the favorites on paper for Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final against Croatia, but the European team is a real threat to reach a second straight final.

Messi, 35, is on a mission to win his first World Cup in the finals, but Croatia’s star midfielder Luka Modric, 37, is also after the same prize. Croatia surprisingly reached 2018 final, where they lost to eventual champions France, but they cannot be considered a second-time surprise.

After finishing as runners-up in Group F, a smart Croatian side had to win penalty shootouts against both Japan (Round of 16) and Brazil (Quarterfinals) to reach this stage. Those wins were due in large part to the heroics of goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who has emerged as one of the stars of the tournament.

Croatia will believe that Argentina is ripe for the title despite their shaky finishes against Saudi Arabia (2-1 loss) and against both Australia (round of 16) and the Netherlands (quarterfinals). Argentina conceded two late goals to the Netherlands, but survived a penalty shootout to keep Messi’s World Cup quest alive.

Argentina vs Croatia Live Score

Goals:

ARG – MESSI – 34 min

ARG – Alvarez – 39 min

ARG – Alvarez – 69 min

Lineups:

Argentina (4-4-2, right to left): 23. e. Martinez (GK) — 26. Molina, 13. Romero, 19. Otamendi, 3. Tagliafico — 7. De Paul, 24. e. Fernandez, 5 Paredes, 20. Mac Allister – 9. Alvarez, 10. Messi

Croatia lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Livakovic (GK) — 22. Juranovic, 6. Lovren, 20. Guardiola, 19. Sosa — 10. Modric, 11. Brozovic, 8. Kovacik — 13 Pasalik, 9. Kramarik, 4. Perisik

Argentina vs Croatia Live Updates, 2022 World Cup Highlights

Full time: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
Dejan Lovren sends decent rising shot inches over the bar from the best part of 30 yards. This is as close as Croatia gets in the evening. The whistle blows immediately, and the indomitable Lionel Messi is on his way to a career-defining final against France or Morocco on Sunday evening!

90 min: It will be another five minutes of agonizing delay for Croatia.

88 min: Argentina pinged around the middle in a very elegant fashion. To think how nervous everyone was at halftime against Mexico. Going out in groups seemed a very real possibility then.

83 min: Messi curls the ball past the Croatian D before dipping it to the back line for McAllister, who drags his shot wide right. It should be four. It doesn’t really matter.

80 min: Modric shoots from distance. The ball pings off the boot of the nearby Mack Allister and heads straight into the back of his bewildered net. That’s the total for Croatia alone. Nothing has gone their way.

75 min: Perisic fires a long-range shot deep into the stand, and wears the hangdog expression of someone who knows the jig is up.

74 min: Double changes for Argentina, as De Paul and Alvarez make their debuts for Palacios and Dybala at the 2022 World Cup.

69 minutes: Goal! Argentina (Alvarez) This is just fantastic from Lionel Messi! He tears down the right wing on the touchline. He has Guardiola stuck on his side. Whatever! He throws infield to the edge of the box, then stops. He turns, turns to the target. He then spins Guardiola to get to the byline, cutting back for Alvarez, who can’t miss from six yards. World Cup support, right there!

68 min: Romero Petkovic is booked for a considerable agricultural clutter through the back.

60 min: Argentina is very comfortable now. They are happy to sit back and wait for the ship to capture Croatia, then spring forward.

52 min: A lovely one-two try between Petkovic and Kovacic. It breaks. Kovacic may reflect that he should probably shoot.

49 min: Paredes mistakes the Croatian goal for the Dutch dugout and hits it. Livakovic gathers after the ball.

46 min: We’re back and there’s a double change for Croatia, Nikola Vlasic and Mislav Orsic for Borna Sosa and Mario Pasalic. This means a size change to a back three for Zlatko Dalic’s men.

Halftime: Argentina 2-0 Croatia
Argentina has one foot in the final. Croatia is back from the dead against Brazil; Can they find their way again? It will be fun to find out.

45 min +1: The first of four added minutes passes without much drama.

43 min: Livakovic punches in the second corner. Croatia desperately needs to hear the half-time whistle. They were on the better side until the penalty, and now look!

39 min: Goal! to Argentina (Alvarez)
Argentina countered, and double their lead with Alvarez’s amazing goal! Messi thinks he’s been fouled in the center circle, but the ball goes to Alvarez and the ref waves play. Alvarez walks down the middle in three dark blue shirts. De Paul and Molina hang around confusing defenders. Alvarez continues, gets into the box, gets a bit of a lucky break from Sosa, and beats Livakovic! It’s not quite Maradona 86…but it’s not half bad!

39 min: Juranovic has been relatively quiet in attack so far – he was excellent against Brazil – but now he shows the authority to win a corner for Croatia. They return it for Brozovic, who takes a heavy touch. His cross is blocked, and that’s expensive, because…

34 minutes: Goal! Argentina 1-0 Croatia (Messi)
Messi steps up and hits the penalty to the right! Livakovic goes the right way, but he never saves it! Bedlam!

32 minutes: Penalty to Argentina! Modric captured the ship. Fernandez plays a simple ball down the middle, and Alvarez is clean through! He tries to slip Livakovic and surrounds him, but is harshly body checked. Lovren clears the line, but the referee points to the spot. A no-brainer. Livakovic is sued, and so is Kovačić for the complaint.

29 min: That run from Kovacic was sensational… but did he have a better option on the left in Perisic, who was in acres? However, given the quality of his dribble it seems harsh to complain.

27 min: Brilliant play from Kovacic who steals the ball from Messi and tears through the middle, shrugging off a few challenges and bursting into space. He flicks it to Kramaric to his right. Kramaric is clipped by Tagliafico, and it’s a free kick 30 yards out, to the right of center. Modric will take it.

22 min: Yeah, looks like he’s fine. He scampers down the inside-left channel and almost releases Tagliafico. He then turns defiantly away from Kovacic in the center circle. Finally, he chases down the left again but the shot doesn’t go far as he enters the box. Goal kick, but at least Messi is good to continue.

18 min: Little space for Sosa on the left. His effort on the cross is Paredesian and some speed sails into the back stand. He had the kids at the ball take the bubble, dramatically looking at the field and stamping on it, but no one was fooled.

14 min: Messi tries to follow Fernandez after he crosses down the inside-left channel. He bounces Guardiola on the edge of the box and wants a free kick, or maybe even a penalty, but the referee, quite rightly, isn’t interested.

12 min: Croatia paints some nice triangles in midfield. Modric, Kovacic, Brozovic, Perisic, and Sosa are all involved. There is no shortage of confidence in Croatia’s game so far.

8 min: Romero comes sliding in at warp speed at Kovacic. He is too slow and manages to get out of the way of the lucky Croatia midfielder.

4 min: De Paul pings a long pass down the inside-left channel, hoping to release Tagliafico. Livakovic comes off his line to claim. The semi-finals of the World Cup are off to a good start.

Croatia in the first semi-final! They stroked it around the back for a bit.

5 minutes from kickoff: The teams are out and it’s time for the anthem. Neck hairs from Argentine people.

Argentina vs Croatia lineup, team news

According to reports from Qatar, Argentina is returning to a four-man backline against Croatia. The only question is whether the 4-4-2 wins with Leandro Paredes as the fourth midfielder or the 4-3-3 with Angel Di Maria as the right attacking winger.

After sitting on the bench against Australia and the Netherlands, Di Maria is fully fit and available to start again, according to the media in Argentina’s Pit. If manager Lionel Scaloni prefers the midfield, which represents Croatia’s primary strength, then Paredes is the most likely to start.

Both Albiceleste fullbacks have been suspended after receiving a second yellow card against the Dutch in the quarterfinals. Nicolas Tagliafico will replace Marcos Acuna at left-back, while Nahuel Molina is in for Gonzalo Montiel.

Argentina (4-4-2, right to left): 23. e. Martinez (GK) — 26. Molina, 13. Romero, 19. Otamendi, 3. Tagliafico — 7. De Paul, 24. e. Fernandez, 5 Paredes, 20. Mac Allister – 9. Alvarez, 10. Messi

The Croatian press is not expecting too many tweaks to the starting lineup against Brazil, although Nikola Vlasic has been given the slight advantage to start over Mario Pasalic, with the Torino attacker’s pace and dribbling thought to give Argentina’s backup left-back Tagliafico real problems.

All eyes will be on midfielder Marcelo Brozovic and whether he can shut down Lionel Messi as Croatia won 3-0 in the 2018 group stage meeting.

Croatia lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Livakovic (GK) — 22. Juranovic, 6. Lovren, 20. Guardiola, 19. Sosa — 10. Modric, 11. Brozovic, 8. Kovacic — 13 Vlasic, 9. Kramaric, 4. Perisic

Argentina vs Croatia Live Stream, TV Channel

This first semi-final clash will be at the Lusail Stadium, Argentina’s fourth match at the building.

Here’s how you can see all the action in some key global regions.