Goals and Highlights: Argentina 3-0 Croatia in FIFA World Cup 2022

This was Julián Álvarez's goal that sealed the pass to the final and Argentina's qualification. Messi assisted the spider. 

🇦🇷 ¡¡¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL DE ARGENTINAAAAAAAAA!!! 🇦🇷

😱 ¡¡GOLAAAAAAAZOOOOOOO!! ¡DOBLETEEEE DE JULIÁN ÁLVAREZ! ¡PERO LA JUGADA DE LEO MESSI ES ESPECTACULAR! 🔥

🫡 ¡GOL DE MESSI QUE MARCA JULIÁN! ⚽️#ARG 3-0 #HRV #MundialTelemundo #ElMundialLoEsTodo #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/RmFqA9oUPg

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) December 13, 2022

Argentina qualifies for the final. After defeating Croatia by 3 goals, Julian Alvarez and Messi scored. Lionel assisted the spider in the third goal. 

Last minutes and the match is over. Argentina is close to qualifying for the final.

Five minutes are added, Croatia is still trying and Argentina is looking for a better way to close the match.

This was the third goal scored by Julián Álvarez with Messi's assist, which was the goal that could define the Albiceleste's place in the final.

🇦🇷 ¡¡¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL DE ARGENTINAAAAAAAAA!!! 🇦🇷

😱 ¡¡GOLAAAAAAAZOOOOOOO!! ¡DOBLETEEEE DE JULIÁN ÁLVAREZ! ¡PERO LA JUGADA DE LEO MESSI ES ESPECTACULAR! 🔥

🫡 ¡GOL DE MESSI QUE MARCA JULIÁN! ⚽️#ARG 3-0 #HRV #MundialTelemundo #ElMundialLoEsTodo #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/RmFqA9oUPg

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) December 13, 2022

Croatia missed it, it could have been the first for the Croatians and Lovren fails to finish. 

Mac Allister had it, it could have been Argentina's fourth and the Argentines missed it.

We are close to the final stretch, inside the 80th minute and Croatia is still trying, but Argentina defends in search of closing the match.

Julián Álvarez leaves and the jewel Paulo Dybala enters, we are close to reaching the 75th minute. Argentina dominates the game and Croatia is lost at the back. 

Goooooooool for Argentina!

Messi sends the assist to Julián Álvarez, this is the double of the spider, Argentina is one step away from the final.

Argentina almost had it again, but Croatia presses hard and there is little the Croatians can do, the Albiceleste plays a lot on the counterattack.

Croatia almost had a chance, the cross was complicated for Dibu and the Argentinean defense saved it. 

Argentina almost had the third, but Julián Álvarez's ball did not go well for Enzo and he missed the third. Seconds later, Messi misses in front of the goalkeeper. 

Argentina commanded a counterattack, but Enzo Fernandez did not pass the ball and Croatia had the ball.

Modric had a free kick and sends a cross. El dibu keeps the ball and Argentina looks for a counterattack.

Julián Álvarez scored the second goal of the night to give the Argentineans the lead.

🇦🇷 ¡¡¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL DE ARGENTINAAAAAAAAA!!! 🇦🇷

🔝 ¡JULIÁN ÁLVAREEEEEEEEEEEEZ! ¡JUUUUUULIÁN! ¡GOLAAAAAZOOOO DE ARGENTINAAAAA! ⚽️#ARG 2-0 #HRV #MundialTelemundo #ElMundialLoEsTodo #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/wn6cYufxg4

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) December 13, 2022

This is how Messi's goal opened the scoring.

🇦🇷 ¡¡¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL DE ARGENTINAAAAAAAAA!!! 🇦🇷

🔥 ¡¡LEOOOOOOOO MEEEESSIIIIIIII!! Cobra excelente el penal el capitán de @Argentina.

🔝 ¡EL MÁXIMO GOLEADOR ARGENTINO EN MUNDIALES!#ARG 1-0 #HRV #MundialTelemundo #ElMundialLoEsTodo #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/emGCxQGRHe

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) December 13, 2022

The first half ends, Argentina wins with two goals by Messi and Álvarez. The third goal was almost scored with a header by Mac Allister.

Modric tried it, but it hit the defense and without danger for the Argentines.

Four minutes are added and the game ends.
 

Livakovic saved what could have been Argentina's third, Mac Allister's header was saved by the goalkeeper.

Argentina's goal!

Julián Álvarez scored the second, in a great counterattack by the Albiceleste, the spider overcame the defense and sent it into the back of the net. 

Argentina's goal!
Lionel Messi scores the penalty, the ten-goaler saves the ball and Livakovic can't save it.

Perisic almost scored a great goal, sending the ball over Martinez, and the referee awarded a penalty for a, for bringing down Julian in the box, Livakovic is hurting his team.

Croatia has a free kick, Modric had it and sends in a cross. They lose the ball, with Argentina counter-attacking, looking for Alvarez and Luka takes the ball away from the spider.

Enzo Fernandez gets in a shot from outside the box, but Livakovic makes a save and Dibu has the ball.

Argentina started a great play at the feet of Messi, but the Argentinians' passes were unsuccessful. Croatia regains the ball, with Livakovic clearing the ball.

Croatia has the ball, the Argentines can't get the ball back, the alarms go off with Messi touching his thigh. 

Messi fell near the area, the ball was going to him, but the referee says there is nothing and play continues. 

The ball is recovered by Croatia, Argentina recovers the ball from the back, they can't get out to the midfield. The Croatians keep attacking in the albiceleste's area.

The ball is fought in the midfield, with two fouls committed on both sides, the ball is in Argentina's possession.

There was almost a mistake in the Croatian defense, De Paul sent a ball down the flank to Tagliafico, but the goalkeeper Livakovic has it in his arms.

The ball is rolling at Lusail Stadium.

Both teams are already out on the field, minutes before the anthems of Argentina and Croatia are played.

Livakovic, Perisic, Lovren, Kovacic, Moadric, Brozovic, Pasalic, Sosa, Gvardiol and Juranovic.

 Dibu; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, De Paul, Enzo, Paredes, Mac Allister, Messi and Julián.

For this game the referee will be Italian, along with Daniele Orsato, Ciro Carbone, Alessandro Giallatini and Mohammed Abdulla.

On the VAR will be Massimiliano Irrati, Paolo Valeri, Kathryn Nesbitt and Juan Soto.

Both teams are already doing stretching exercises, prior to the start of the game between Argentina and Croatia in the quarterfinals at the Lusail Stadium.

Zlatko Dalic coach of Croatia believes in his players, feeling proud to be in the semifinal and pointing out that Argentina has more pressure.

"We are in the semifinals, being the best 4 teams in the world, something incredible for Croatia, we want to go further, with a team commanded by Lionel Messi they are very inspired, they are in more pressure, we have seen our rival, we have prepared, I have confidence in my players, they are of a great quality, we know the strengths of the rival, but we must be our game."

Nicolas Tagliafico, player of the Argentine national team has expressed the suffering they went through in the last round.

"We must focus on winning the match and suffer less. In this cup we have enough experience to be in these moments, in elimination matches there will be a moment where you have to suffer, there are no easy matches, we have the experience and the personality to live it, take it to a side of enjoyment, defending the colors of my selection".

The fans of both teams have arrived at the Lusail Stadium, waiting for their national team to warm up.

The two teams have already arrived at the stadium, just minutes away for the warm-up and then for the start of the action at the Lusail Stadium.

Everything is ready for the arrival of the players of both teams, the dressing rooms are already complete with all the players' accessories. 

We are just a few minutes away from the start of this Argentina vs Croatia game, from Lusail Stadium, corresponding to the quarterfinals. In a few moments we will share with you the line-ups of the teams, with many surprises on both sides.

We are back for the minute-by-minute coverage of Argentina vs Croatia. We will shortly share with you the confirmed line-ups and relevant facts about the clash between these two teams.

In a few moments we will share with you the starting rosters for Argentina vs Croatia live, as well as the latest information from the The Lusail Stadium. Stay tuned to VAVEL's minute-by-minute online coverage of the match.

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This is the start time of the game Argentina vs Croatia of December 13 2022 in several countries:

In 2 World Cup games between Croatia and Argentina. The Argentines in 1998 won by the minimum, with a goal by Mauricio Pineda. In Russia 2018, in the group stage Croatia defeated the Albiceleste, by three goals to zero, with goals from Rebic, Modric and Rakitic.

One of the captains of this Croatia team, Luka Modric at 37 years old is still battling in a World Cup, this being his fourth World Cup.

The Real Madrid midfielder has been in 13 games this season, scoring 3 goals and 2 assists. In Champions League he has played 4 times and 2 goals he has scored.

Luka since 2018 was close to being a world champion, this semifinal would be a big step in the Croatian's career. Modric has already scored a goal against Argentina in the group stage.

Lionel Andrés Messi is one of the players who is in the eye of the hurricane, for being in this instance of getting the World Cup with Argentina, being his last World Cup, but in this past season in Ligue 1 he has scored more assists than goals, with 10 assists and 7 games. In the Champions League in 5 games he has scored 4 goals and 4 assists.

In the cup games he has only had a minuscule participation, with 1 goal, being 12 goals and 14 assists in over 1,657 minutes.

The ten has 4 goals in 5 World Cup games, with two assists in the last few games.

Livakovic, Perisic, Lovren, Kovacic, Modric, Kramaric, Brozovic, Pasadic, Sosa, Gvardiol and Juranovic.

E Martinez, Molina, Romero, Otamendi, L Martinez, Acuna, De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Messi and Alvarez.

The team of the well-known fiery are again playing for a pass to the grand final from Russia 2018, eliminating England in the semifinal, but in the grand final they fell to France.

But the chances for Croatia have been very surprising, after eliminating Brazil and the revelation of the tournament as Japan. The Croatians have not lost a game so far in the World Cup, only with Morocco and Belgium they drew goalless.

The wear and tear will be present for both teams, but Croatia has two overtimes they have faced in full time and penalties.

Not having the big spotlight, the favoritism carried by the Argentines, Croatia already knows what it is like to face the Albiceleste in World Cups, with a win in 2018.

For coach Zlatko Dalic already knows the perfect strategy to stop Argentina's ten, Lionel Messi.

"We will do the analysis, we will present the most details on how to stop Messi, just as we did with Neymar, with which players should be placed and who should be around him, we will not defend him man for man, but we have to close him way, he does not run a lot, he waits when he receives the ball, we must not leave him space, the key will be when our defense repeats as against Brazil and then Messi will not have the space he occupies."

The path of the Albiceleste has been a great adventure, when they made their debut against Saudi Arabia by two goals they lost, casting many doubts on their continuity. But against Mexico they got back to winning ways, winning two goals to zero. They closed the group stage against Poland, with the same score of the previous match.

In the round of 16 they faced Australia, winning in a very dramatic way, with two goals to one. In the previous match against the Netherlands, the Argentines suffered, taking the match to a penalty shootout. In regular time, Argentina was winning, but in the last minutes the scores were evened up.

In extra time they did not hurt each other, but in the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero of the shootout.

This time the opponent will be Croatia, with revenge for the Argentines for that negative result in Russia 2018, when they lost three-nil in the group stage.

For Lionel Scaloni, he considers that Argentina has a huge spirit that has supported them to keep battling and be in the semifinals.

"Argentina has a spirit to face situations, it has desire, pride and it is fundamental to not give anything for lost."

"It is an objective to play all 7 games, but we want to continue dancing in the dance, with all due respect we would like to take the next step, with a great rival as is Croatia."

The Lusail Stadium is one of the most modern and up-to-date buildings. Due to its opening a year ago, November 27 was the final day of completion of construction, it has a capacity of 80 thousand fans.

My name is Mauricio Gonzalez and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, score updates, and news as it happens Argentina - Croatia here on VAVEL.