Argentina 3

Match report as Lionel Messi và Julian Alvarez combine for all three goals to send Argentina to the World Cup final; they will face France or Morocco on Sunday; Messi scored from the penalty spot lớn spark Croatia"s collapse, before Alvarez scored twice to lớn seal the win

Lionel Messi gave himself one last shot at World Cup glory as he và Julian Alvarez scored for Argentina in a 3-0 win over Croatia at the Lusail Iconic Stadium to reach the final.

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They will face either France or Morocco, who play in Wednesday"s semi-final, on Sunday.

Messi fired into the top corner from the penalty spot (34) against the run of play to open the scoring after Man city striker Alvarez earned a debatable penalty following a collision with Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

With that strike, the 35-year-old surpassed Gabriel Batistuta khổng lồ become Argentina"s đứng top scorer at World Cup finals on 11 goals.

Croatia collapsed after the opener và conceded another five minutes later from an Argentina counter-attack after comical defending as Alvarez doubled their lead (39) having carried the ball from his own half.

Messi took matters into his own hands khổng lồ ensure the game was out of reach, producing a moment of magic down the right lớn beat Josko Gvardiol before putting it on a plate for Alvarez khổng lồ score Argentina"s third.

Argentina last reached the World Cup final in năm trước in Brazil and were beaten by Germany, but have not lifted the trophy since Diego Maradona led his nation khổng lồ victory in Mexico in 1986.

32: Alvarez wins a penalty after colliding with Livakovic. 34: Messi puts Argentina ahead against the run of play from the penalty spot. 39: Alvarez doubles Argentina"s lead after carrying the ball from his own half. 43: Livakovic produces a stunning save khổng lồ deny Mac Allister"s header from close-range. 70: Argentina put the trò chơi out of sight as Messi sets up Alvarez after a mesmerising run.

Argentina: Martinez (7), Molina (7), Romero (7), Otamendi (7), Tagliafico (7), De Paul (7), Paredes (7), Fernandez (7), Mac Allister (7), Messi (9), Alvarez (9).Subs: Martinez (6), Foyth (6), Palacios (6), Correa (6), Dybala (6).Croatia: Livakovic (7), Juranovic (6), Lovren (6), Gvardiol (6), Sosa (5), Modric (7), Brozovic (6), Kovacic (6), Pasalic (6), Kramaric (6), Perisic (6).Subs: Majer (6), Vlasic (6), Orsic (5), Petkovic (6), Livaja (6).Player of the match: Lionel Messi.

Croatia bossed the opening half an hour & Messi was largely anonymous as he walked across the field at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, waiting for his team-mates lớn spring lớn life.

The trò chơi was turned on its head when Alvarez won a penalty just after the half-hour mark. Croatia were caught out at the back by a simple ball over the đứng top from Argentina & Alvarez was brought down by Livakovic after he pushed the ball past the goalkeeper.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was adamant the decision was wrong, arguing the goalkeeper did very little wrong.

"The goalkeeper just stops," he told ITV. "He has khổng lồ make that motion khổng lồ try and save the ball, he plants his feet. I don"t know how that"s a penalty.

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"If I"m a defender và the striker is about to have a shot & I go khổng lồ block, he then shoots, goes past me and runs into me, that can"t be a foul. You have khổng lồ block the shot!"

Argentina have reached the World Cup final for the sixth time, doing so in two of the last three editions of the competition (also in 2014) – only Germany (8) have reached more finals in the competition than Argentina (6 – cấp độ with Italy and Brazil). Since the 1966 edition, no player has scored or assisted in more different World Cup matches than Lionel Messi (13 – level with Brazilian Ronaldo). Messi has become the first player lớn both score & assist in four separate World Cup matches (since the 1966 edition), doing so versus Serbia in 2006 and versus Mexico, Netherlands and Croatia at this current edition (2022). Julian Alvarez has scored four goals at World Cup 2022, becoming only the second Argentina player lớn score four goals at a single edition of the World Cup while aged 22 or under after Gonzalo Higuaín in 2010 (4 goals).

Messi stepped up to the spot, as he did against the Netherlands in the round before, and gave Argentina the lead with an emphatic strike into the top corner.

Having looked so strong before, Croatia appeared to thua trận their heads & suffered another blow five minutes later as Alvarez rode two challenges in the area after carrying the ball from his own half before poking a composed finish beyond Livakovic lớn make it 2-0.

Image: Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez celebrate after going 2-0 up

Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic was perhaps unlucky lớn see the ball ricochet off him and back into Alvarez"s path, but Borna Sosa crumbled under the pressure và allowed the 22-year-old through on goal leaving out a flailing leg lớn no avail.

Croatia brought on Bruno Petkovic, who scored an extra-time equaliser in stoppage time in last week"s quarter-final against Brazil, in an attempt to lớn turn the game, but Messi had other ideas.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward, intent on ensuring he gave himself one more chance to win the only trophy that has eluded him, rolled back the years against Gvardiol down the right flank as he turned the 20-year-old inside out with a mesmerising run before cutting it back lớn Alvarez from the byline.

Alvarez made no mistake from just outside the six-yard box as he became the youngest player khổng lồ score twice in a World Cup semi-final or final since Pele in 1958.

Messi now has the chance lớn win the only trophy missing from his collection on Sunday, in his final World Cup appearance.

Messi: I feel really good at this World Cup

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Speaking after the match, Messi said: "I am enjoying this a lot. I am feeling really good, I feel strong enough khổng lồ face every match. The previous match was a big sacrifice.

"Today we were tired, but we pulled out strength to earn the victory. We played very well, we preferred to lớn play this way because we knew they would not have the ball. We knew we would have to lớn run. We prepared in a very good way.

"I feel very happy in this World Cup. I am able khổng lồ help the squad."

He added: "I would say the first match was a hard blow because we had been unbeaten in six matches. Lớn start in such a way in a World Cup, we did not think we would thất bại to Saudi Arabia.

"It was an acid thử nghiệm of the whole squad but we proved how strong we are. We won the other matches and it was very difficult what we did. Every match was a final & we were aware if we did not win things would be complicated for us.

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said: "Perhaps this is the kết thúc of the generation of the World Cups, a couple have reached an age & have to see what happens in 2026.

"We have had a great team & this generation will finish off their career at euro 2024. We have the National League và an excellent generation who reached two semi-finals."

Asked about his own future, Dalic said: "I will continue, my contract is until 2024. We have the Nations League then the World Cup qualifications too. My plan và objective is to lớn take Croatia to triệu euro 2024."

Asked about Messi, he added: "Nothing much needs to be said about Messi. The best player in the world & very good và very dangerous today. It is the true Messi we expected to see."

Argentina will play either France or Morocco in the World Cup final after they beat Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the spot before Julian Alvarez grabbed another.

Manchester thành phố forward Alvarez then added the third after the half-time break, following a sensational solo run from Messi.

France and Morocco play in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Liam Tharme, Dermot Corrigan & Maram Al
Baharna have broken down the key talking points from Argentina’s comprehensive victory over Croatia, including:

Messi toying with Gvardiol Scaloni’s replacements starring again: Alvarez and Fernandez Argentina midfield pouncing khổng lồ win penalty Croatia’s defence falling apart Saying goodbye khổng lồ Luka Modric

GO FURTHER

Argentina beat Croatia to lớn reach final: Alvarez stars, magical Messi assist, goodbye Modric