JAKARTA - The Argentine national team will face Australia in the last 16 of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Sunday, December 4, early morning WIB. Albiceleste is clearly more favorite to win in the match later.
In fact, many think this could be a smooth path for Lionel Messi and his friends to the quarter-finals.
However, Argentina did not want to repeat the same mistake. Since being defeated by Saudi Arabia in the opening party, Team mediate valuable lessons.
They never underestimate the non-seeded team, especially Socceros, who never give up.
Australia, 35 different rankings below Argentina, has already surpassed expectations after winning twice to get a place in the last 16 against Argentina at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium which will be one of the biggest matches in Australian football history.
Both teams only had two full days to rest what Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni called "crazy".
"We barely have time to enjoy (a success of reaching the last 16, only recovery, recovery and recovery," Australian assistant coach Rene Meulensteen said.
"But one thing I can say, we are ready," he continued.
Again in a happy atmosphere and tired of having reached the knockout round of the World Cup for the second time, Australia had to play a match that determined their fate against Argentina which was full of talent and stars from the front lines to the back.
But Australia is ready to appear just as fit, energetic and never give up by defeating Tunisia and Denmark.
"They are tough. Anyone who thinks the match against Australia will be easy is wrong," said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.
But that's not something Scaloni and his team can't handle, especially since Argentina will still be supported by its huge supporters and support them relentlessly from game to game.
In addition, Argentina did not face any injury problems, including striker Angel Di Maria who was pulled out in their last game against Poland.
Di Maria is expected to reunite with Lionel Messi again who is chasing his first success at the World Cup after five times participating in this tournament.
Messi is also trying to match Diego Maradona the legend as a superstar who has brought Argentina a world champion that Messi has never done before.
Achieving the quarter-finals will be a great achievement for Australia. On the other hand, for Argentina winning this match will raise the nation's hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy for the third time.
The winner of the last 16 will face the winner of the Dutch match against the United States on December 9 Qatar time.
Even though Australia will tend to be more defensive and vice versa Argentina will attack from the first minute, this match still promises a fun and exciting spectacle. This is a battle between a giant team against a team that relies on cohesiveness and a spirit of never giving up.
After avoiding a meeting with defending champions France by topping Group C, Argentina is determined to take advantage of its last two games to win this match to reach the quarter-finals.
While the brave and unyielding Australian team is ready to make it difficult and even tackle Albiceleste even though it will be very difficult to withstand the onslaught of Argentine strikers who have above average quality in the final third of the field, especially Lionel Messi the superstar.
There is no reason for Lionel Scaloni to change the line-up of his first eleven players who were only changed once after being defeated by Saudi Arabia in the first match when he included Leandro Martinez as one of his centre-backs.
Martinez could be played again considering the opponents he is facing are now not tall players like when he faced Australia, which forced this centre-back to be stripped from the starter of the team.
Nicolas Tagliafico also seems to be re-elected to fill the left-back position occupied by Marcos Acuna. Likewise with Enzo Fernandez who performed brilliantly after twice entering the field as a substitute. This young midfielder will set aside Leandro Paredes from Argentina's starting eleven using a 4-3-3 pattern.
Given how deadly Lautaro trident Martinez-Lionel Messi-Angel Di Maria is and not to mention the trio of creative and attacking Argentine midfielders, Australia will face simultaneous pressure from Albiceleste from start to finish.
Australia may hope this match ends on penalties, but Argentina will be eager to end the game in normal time.
Australia itself may somewhat change the composition of its team, one of which is Milos Degenek, who may hand over the role of right-back to Fran Karacik.
But Craig way will still be played despite the difficulty of getting his best form back against Denmark.
He will partner with other midfielders to support Mitchell Duke's spearhead movement, while Aaron Mooy becomes the axis of the game that balances Australia's defenses and attacks.
Since 1988, the two countries have faced each other seven times, five of which Argentina won.
But both teams have never met in the World Cup finals, except for the two-legged intercontinental playoffs that passed Argentina to the 1994 World Cup finals.
Argentina has played eight games out of 16 since the current tournament format was introduced in 1986. During that time Argentina only lost to Romania at the 1994 World Cup and France which won the World Cup four years ago.
Including two goals against Qatar, Lionel Messi has scored eight World Cup goals during five tournaments since 2006. None of those goals occurred in the knockout round matches.
Australia had only stepped into the last 16 once when it was beaten 0-1 by Italy for a controversial penalty at the 2006 World Cup.
Australia managed to keep its goal from conceding in its final game in the group stage which was their first clean sheet since their debut in the World Cup finals in 1974.
Predictions of Argentina vs Australian line-up
Argentina (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Tagliafico; Alexis Mac Allister, Enzi Fernandez, Ryrdrigo de Paul; Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Angel di Maria
Australia (4-1-4-1): Mathew Ryan; Fran Karacic, Harry Souttar, Kye Rowles, Aziz Behich; Aaron Mooy; Mathew Leckie, Jackson Irvine, Riley McGree, Craig life; Mitchell Duke
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
