Preview of 2022 World Cup Semifinals Argentina Vs Croatia: Another Penalty Shootout?

The World Cup match between Argentina vs Croatia. (Photo: Twitter/@HNS_CFF)

JAKARTA - The 2022 World Cup Qatar has entered the semifinals. The Argentina national team will face Croatia at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, on Wednesday, December 14 in the morning of Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

The battle is predicted to be fierce. It is not impossible, another round of penalties must be held to determine who the winner is.

Croatia and Argentina themselves qualified for the semifinals thanks to a high-toss victory in the last eight phase. Croatia eliminated Brazil, while Argentina kicked out the Netherlands.

If you look at FIFA statistics, this is a meeting between a team that is aggressive in pressing its opponent so as to create far more free kicks and corners, against a team that is tested in warding off opponent attacks and how to play the ball so that it is in control.

This is also a meeting of two superstars who have often faced each other in club-level matches, especially when they were both playing in the Spanish League, namely Lionel Messi, a former Barcelona player, and Luka Modric, who until now plays for Real Madrid.

Argentina led by superstar Lionel Messi enter the 2022 World Cup as favorites to win, facing a 2018 runners-up that could see them share the fate of Brazil.

The unyielding Croatia recovered from a goal down to equalize and then forced a penalty shoot-out against Brazil which they eventually won.

Disciplined Croatia deserved to be in a second successive World Cup semi-final. If Argentina underestimated them then fatal things would happen like happened to Brazil in the quarter-finals.

For this reason, Argentina, which is chasing its first World Cup title since Diego Maradona's team did it in 1986, must work hard.

Moreover, they barely qualified for the semifinals after the Netherlands forced a penalty shootout through two goals which equalized the position 2-2.

Argentina did win on penalties against the Netherlands, but if the same scenario was repeated against Croatia it could backfire for Argentina even though goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved two penalty kicks against the Netherlands.

Croatia went through two penalty shootouts before reaching the 2018 final before losing to France. In the Qatar World Cup they reached the semifinals after two successful penalty shootouts. So in total, they have succeeded four times in penalty shootouts. For that, Argentina should not give Croatia a chance for another penalty shoot-out.

The Albiceleste overcame tough odds in their quarter-final against the Netherlands by winning on penalties against Louis van Gaal's side.

The win boosted their morale which they are trying to maintain as good momentum against Croatia.

On the other hand, Croatia has again exceeded its own expectations, especially after getting rid of Brazil, which is one of the favorites to win Qatar 2022.

Team Vatreni have shown impressive defensive organization which may have spared them when shutting down Argentina's world-class attacking unit so they can re-live the atmosphere of the World Cup final as they did in the 2018 edition.

Argentina do not face serious injury problems, but coach Lionel Scaloni will not be able to start the suspended Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna.

The Albiceleste are likely to use a 4-3-3 formation in which Emiliano Martinez will again guard the goal which will be protected by the central defenders, Cristian Romero and Nicolas Otamendi. Meanwhile Nahuel Molina will fill in on the right wing of the defense opposite Nicolas Tagliafico who is fighting as a left back.

In midfield, Rodrigo de Paul, who is the busiest player and has the highest running range in the Argentina squad, will partner Enzo Fernandes and Alexis Mac Allister.

If de Paul works hard to find, recover and distribute the ball, then Mac Allister and Fernandez will be the creative forces needed to break Croatia's concentration and open up space for the attacking team.

On that front line, Lionel Messi is expected to play in the middle flanked by Julian Alvarez on the left and Angel di Maria on the right. In other words, Messi, who is Argentina's top scorer and most chance creator, will be the heart of the Albiceleste's attack.

Croatia itself is free from injury problems, so coach Zlatko Dalic can play anyone. He certainly set up full power to fight Argentina.

The 2018 World Cup finalists may also deploy a 4-3-3 formation in which goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic is again protected by a four-back system led by the central defenders, Josko Gvardiol and Dejan Lovren at the heart of the Croatian defense.

Meanwhile, the two wings of defense will be occupied by Borna Sosa as left-back and Josip Juranovic on the right. The defensive quartet is ready to tame Lionel Messi and his partners.

The three Croatian midfields will again be filled with the trio of Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic. Brozovic will fight more defensively, while Kovacic and Modric are assigned to be even more creative in assisting attacks and creating opportunities.

In the final third, Ivan Perisic and Mario Pasalic will start in wide positions on either flank. Meanwhile, Bruno Petkovic was in the middle of the Croatian attack.

Stats and head to head

The two teams have faced each other twice in the World Cup. Croatia beat the South Americans 3-0 in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, while Argentina won 1-0) at the same stage in the 1998 edition.

From a total of five of their meetings, the position is a draw. Both Croatia and Argentina have won twice, while the other match ended in a draw.

Croatia reached their second consecutive World Cup semi-final after losing to France in the 2018 World Cup final. They also have a perfect record on penalties after winning their last four, including the last 16 and quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Bruno Petkovic's goal in the 117th minute to equalize against Brazil in the quarter-finals was Croatia's last World Cup goal. It was also their first shot on goal of the match.

Croatia will be bidding to become only the second team after Brazil in 2002 to become finalists in two successive tournaments

Lionel Messi is seeking his second World Cup final after Argentina lost the 2014 final to Germany. The World Cup trophy is the only major trophy that is still beyond the reach of Messi.

Argentina started their World Cup adventure by losing to Saudi Arabia but since then conceded just three goals in four matches before reaching the last four.

Argentina has won the World Cup twice in 1978 and 1986, and was runner-up three times.

Predicted line-up for Argentina vs Croatia:

Argentina (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Angel di Maria, Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez

Croatia (4-3-3): Dominik Livakovic; Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Dejan Lovren, Borna Sosa; Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Luka Modric; Mario Pasalic, Bruno Petkovic, Ivan Perisic