Messi messes Croatia silly, slide them off the final journey 3-0 at world cup semifinal

By Eniola Olatunji 

Seven times world best player and talisman for the Argentina team, Lionel Messi clinically messed up the Croatian national team 3-0 in the first semifinal of the Qatar world cup making him just a step away from lifting his first ever world cup trophy.

The score line was a sweet revenge to the semifinals of the last competition at Russia 2018 where Croatia swallowed them like crocs by the same margin 3-0 all goals scored in the second half then.

The Collaboration between Messi and Julian Alvarez was the Argentine joker as both wrecked the Croats. First goal was dramatic.

Croatian Goalkeeper, Dominic Livakovic had tripped Julian Alvarez bagging a yellow card and conceding a penalty. In the process Mateo Kovavic was booked for dissent.

Then Messi stepped forward fighting a mind game with Livakovic, gbam, he tucked into the net his 11th world cup goal, the 5th in Qatar and first goal against Croatia. Messi had played four penalty shots at Qatar world cup and lost one.

Then Boma Sosa failed to clear his lines well and Alvarez in a solo effort scored in the 39th minute to raise hopes for Argentina in the final. Again 35 year old Messi came rampaging on the right flank, crossed one to Alvarez who toed it into the net at 68th minute for goal number 3 of the night and every calculations changed to Croatia not conceding further goals.

Could it have been the change of game ball that made Croatian team not to boot like overloaded computer in time? FIFA changed the balls used from the opening match, called Al Rahla meaning “the journey” to Al Hilm meaning “The Dream”. Al Rihla has technology to assist in tracking and helping Ref decisions. Adidas that manufactured the balls said Al Hilm represents a beacon of light on the power of sport and football to bring the world together.

Argentina was strategic from the beginning with their 4-4-2 system blocking the defence and clipping the wings of the Croatian players especially Modric, so Croatia had the ball possession at 61% -39%; crossing the balls 18-7 times into Argentina defence but Argentina did not play a gentleman’s game they committed foul 15-8 times. Argentina kept pumping in the shot 7-2 on target and Croatia kept shooting wide with 7-1 off target shots. Argentina was not interested in corner kicks but goals with 2-4 corner kicks.

Thus Argentina used the Dream ball to move into her 6th appearance in a world cup final being there in 1930, 1978, 1986, 1990, 2014 and now 2022 but winning only twice in 1978 and 1986. On Sunday is the world cup final. Messi has won all trophies and most important awards in football but not the world cup.

Croatia lost the dream of appearing in the finals which they played in the last competition at Russia 2018 losing to France. It stops the dream of Croatian captain 37th year Luka Modric, a former world best player to appear in the final and winning the trophy before taking a bow.

For the records, the head to head play of Argentina is 1998 Argentina won 1-0; three world cup matches, on 12th November 2014 Argentina won 2-1; on 21st June 2018 Croatia won 3-0 and now 13th December 2022 Argentina won 3-0. Argentina is super with three wins with 6 goals for and 4 goals against.

On Wednesday 14th December at 8pm Morocco of Africa will play defending Champions, France in what football pundits say will be another upset. Morocco only conceded a goal in five matches which was an own goal against Canada at the group stages.

Argentina meets the winner between France and Morroco on Sunday at 8pm but on Saturday at 8pm Croatia will fight for the Bronze medal, (that is 3rd place) with the loser of the France versus Morocco match.