How Wout Weghorst Was About to Steal the Night from Leo Messi, But Emiliano Martinez Saved the Day

 

Argentina are through to the World Cup semi-finals in breathtaking fashion after requiring penalties to get past the Netherlands 2-2 (4-3) in what was a match for the ages.

The Albiceleste looked to have everything under control after Lionel Messi set up the opening goal and scored a second, only for the Dutch to score late and level the score deep in injury time with an audacious set piece.

In the end Lionel Scaloni's men needed penalties, with Emiliano Martinez's two saves proving the difference to set up a tasty clash with Croatia on Tuesday.

The two teams started slowly in front of what was a very-pro Argentina crowd, with just a little pocket of Dutch fans in attendance at the Lusail Stadium.

Everything changed in the 35th minute when Argentina struck first thanks to their diminutive genius. Messi drove forward before delivering a no-look pass that somehow cut through the Dutch backline for Nahuel Molina, who poked his low effort past Andries Noppert.

The goal ramped up the intensity, with several players picking up bookings in the final minutes of the first half before referee Mateu Lahoz sent both sides into the dressing room.

Argentina looked the more dangerous of the two sides after the break despite the Dutch needing an equalizer, with the match having bursts of action rather than any sort of sustained tempo.

He wouldn't be denied soon after when Argentina were awarded a penalty for Denzel Dumfries foul on Marcos Acuna. Messi stepped up and calmly slotted into the corner, with Noppert frozen to the spot.

The Dutch set up a grandstand finish by halving the deficit through Wout Weghorst. The substitute got across his marker and sent a glancing header past the diving Emiliano Martinez, which quieted the Lusail Stadium.

Steven Berghuis thought he had levelled proceedings seconds later, only to see his smashed effort hit the side of the net, while a stiff Leandro Paredes brought the Dutch bench on the field after he booted the ball into the dugout.

Just when it looked as though Argentina were through to the semi-finals, the Dutch levelled the score with an audacious set piece with seconds remaining.

Teun Koopmeiners stepped up to shoot a free kick, but instead rolled a low pass into the penalty area that found the feet of Weghorst. The big man turned and fired a low shot past Martinez to send the match into extra-time.

Neither side could find a winner, though Argentina came close on several occasions late on, including an Enzo Fernandez strike coming off the post with seconds to spare.

In the end a spot in the semi-finals was decided from the spot, with Emiliano Martinez giving Argentina an early advantage after saves on Virgil van Dijk and Berghuis. Enzo Fernandez fired wide in the fourth round of kicks, giving the Oranje a glimmer of hope.

However, after Luuk de Jong scored his effort, Lautaro Martinez stepped up and sent Noppert the wrong way to fire the Albiceleste into Tuesday's semi-final against Croatia.