FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals : Netherlands vs Argentina

 In a high temper knife edged match Messi's Argentina pipped Netherlands to reach the semifinals of this World Cup to meet giant slayer Croatia. 

The game started quite tentatively, testing each other's intent & depth, but it was surely the Latin American outfit that was having the better of the exchanges, with Messi weaving through at will around midfield to create openings. In around the 35th minute, it was Messi magic on display as he dropped behind around midfield & then darting through, threaded a pass into the Dutch box, where Molina quickly latched on to the ball & stepping beyond Blind, stabbed past the keeper Noppert into the net, as the Albiceleste crowd went into raptures. 1-0. The Dutch were quite a loose bunch in the first half, with solo efforts from Depay, Gapko & De Jong, but looked a tad off colour, as the referee blew the half time whistle. 

2nd half started with Argentina holding the upper card & Messi weaving magic across the field, & the Dutch team looking further down the barrel. Around the 70th minute, Acuna dribbled down the flank to enter the box, & Dumfries tripped him for the referee to immediately blow the whistle & point to the dreaded spot. Messi stepped in as expected & his calm, composed shot buried inside the net, with Noppert rooted to his spot, & Argentina were already celebrating, believing in the semis spot, 2-0. It looked done & dusted for the men in White & Blue stripes, as the Orange looked glum. Netherlands threw in their last card on deck by bringing in Luuk de Jong & Wout Weghorst to try something different, & almost immediately got dividends, as Berghuis curled in a beautiful cross & Weghorst raced to the front post & his glancing header was a peach to bounce beyond the Argentinian keeper Martinez & enter the net to make the score 2-1, & Dutch looked to be vback in the game. Deep into the injury time, Weghorst did it again, when Koopmeiners shaped to shoot, but instead rolled the ball where Weghorst received & slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net to square the score at 2-2, with just seconds to full time. Weghorst had become the first Netherlands player to score a brace as a substitute in a World Cup, & what a time to gather the accolades. 

The extra time was cagey & ill tempered & as both sides had opportunities to score, as tension & tempers raised ugly heads. Dumfries received his 2nd yellow card of the match to get marching orders, as referee looked baffled. 

In the penalties, Argentina prevailed 4-3 to finally heave a sigh of relief, as the match had almost slipped away from them despite leading 2-0 around 72nd minute of the game. Their untested defense came under a barrage of Dutch attacks, led by Weghorst & de Jong as the score levelled & went into extra time & then the penalties. Argentina will now meet Croatia in a very tricky encounter, who are relishing their staying powers, having dispatched Cup favourites Brazil in the quarters, purely on strategy & resolve.