The four semi-finalists of the Qatar World Cup are already known: Croatia, Argentina, Morocco and France will be the teams that will first seek a place in the final and then the highest consecration, raising the World Cup on Sunday 18th.
The first match of the semi-finals will be between Croatia and Argentina, which will be played on Tuesday 13 at 16:00 (Argentine time) at the Lusail stadium, the same one where Albiceleste have already played against Saudi Arabia, Mexico and the Netherlands. In the other match, France will be the favorites against Morocco, on Wednesday 14th, again at 4pm (Argentine time) but at the Al Bayt stadium.
The losers will play “the game nobody wants to play” for third place on Saturday the 17th, in Khalifa, at 12 noon (Argentina time).
Argentina against Croatia, close duel
Argentina will face Croatia with the memory of the last World Cup still in mind, where the Balkan team, which finished second, beat Albiceleste, then led by Jorge Sampaoli, by authority, 3-0.
Russia 2018 was the last time both teams met. Tuesday will be the third duel in a World Cup, the fifth overall including two other friendlies.
Right at the Nizhny Novgorod stadium, the team already coached by Zlatko Dalic left the Argentine team in evidence. Croatia finished first in a quartet which was complemented by Nigeria and Iceland. Argentina, with its 1-2 win against the African team, gained access to the round of 16 as runners-up. They later lost to France in that stretch and didn’t make it to the quarterfinals.
The other occasion in which Croatians and Argentines met in a World Cup was in France 1998. The match was played in Bordeaux, at the Parc Lescure and the victory, on that occasion, went to the South American team led by Daniel Passarella and captained by Diego Pablo Simeone. The goal was scored by then Udinese defender Mauricio Pineda in the first half.
The match also corresponded to the group stage. Both made the playoffs but with reversed positions. Argentina first and Croatia second. The Albiceleste team stagnated in the quarterfinals beaten by the Netherlands. Croatia managed to advance to the semifinals stopped by France. They finished third beating the Dutch in the clash for third and fourth place.
Qatar 2022 will be the most important between Argentina and Croatia, for the first time tied and with the final up for grabs. The other two were in friendly clashes but one of them, in March 2006, was significant. Played in Switzerland, the Balkan team won 3-2 but Leo Messi scored his first goal for the Albiceleste.
The two remaining matches were also out of competition; one in June 1994 which ended in a goalless draw and the other in November 2014, with Argentina winning 2–1.
In short, all equal. Five duels, two victories each and another tied. History, however, encourages Argentina. Every time he got past the quarterfinals he became a finalist.
France vs Morocco, the champion against revelation
Two steps away from glory France after shooting down a volunteer Englandin a duel as intense as it was close which was resolved with two flashes by Aurelien Tchouaméni and Olivier Giroud, served by Antoine Griezmann, and some saves by Hugo Lloris which broke the resistance led by Harry Kane, who scored a penalty and lost another.
France will meet in the semifinals Morocco to seek the second consecutive final after another demonstration of realism by the champion, who without playing a great game showed an iron will to hold on to achieve what no one has achieved since the 1930s: repeating the world title.
In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, out of focus, he showed other arguments, not very footbally but effective, even if he left some gaps, given that the defense did not show great solidity, which for many minutes gave the English hopes of victory.
Gareth Southgate’s men have always been close behind, ever since Tchouaméni’s first goal, but they have always been captivated by the game. They handcuffed Mbappé, they had chances, but they lacked precision and they had a lot of Lloris.
The French team will play against Morocco on Wednesday 14 at 16:00 at the Al Bayt stadium.
The African team is the first from that continent to reach the last week of a World Cup and wants to continue making history at the hands of its coach, Walid Regragui.
In the World Cup of big surprises, Morocco sent Portugal home and buried perhaps Cristiano Ronaldo’s last chance to win the title.
Youssef En-Nesyri was suspended in the air in the 42nd minute to head in the goal that sealed Saturday’s 1-0 victory and continued Morocco’s astonishing run in the first World Cup in the Middle East.
As Cristiano left the dressing room in tears after the final whistle of the quarter-finals, the Moroccan players detained their coach Walid Regragui on the pitch at Al Thumama Stadium.
“Pinch me, I’m dreaming,” said Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. “Morocco is ready to face anyone. We have changed the mentality for the generation that will follow us. They know Moroccan players can do wonders.”
With the information of the Agencies
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.