Argentina and Croatia are two of the most popular teams in international football. They are both ranked among the top five teams in the world.
They have both reached the semi-final stage of the FIFA 2022 tournament. They are both favorites to win their match against each other.
Argentina
Argentina’s national football team is a storied team, which has produced several world-class players over the years. They’ve won several major championships, and they’re known for their toughness and unyielding determination on the field.
The Argentine national football team has been one of the favorites to win this year’s World Cup. They’re led by superstar Lionel Messi, and they’re hoping to claim the title of World Champion for the first time in four years.
Argentina have won three of their last five matches, while Croatia have only won two. That makes this an exciting match to watch. The odds for BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE are @ 5/4 with BetUK, and this could be worth a punt.
Croatia
Croatia’s national football team are a very talented team and have some fantastic players. They have played in a number of major tournaments and have made it to the final.
They have had a number of great managers over the years including Slaven Bilic and Niko Kovac. Their success is attributed to their strong ethos and belief in the game.
They have played some excellent games against Argentina over the years and are currently ranked 11th in the world. They are expected to win this match today and have a good chance of getting through to the next round.
Goals
Argentina’s Lionel Messi is one win away from winning the trophy he covets most. His brilliant play helped to win the World Cup semi-final for Argentina as they beat Croatia 3-0 in Doha.
Argentine captain Lionel Messi scored the opening goal from the penalty spot, then Julian Alvarez bagged a fine second and then Messi mesmerized us all to set up Alvarez for his double!
Croatia will be looking to break their duck and find a way back into this game. Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic have both delivered superb performances but this is a team that need to score.
Cards
When Argentina and Croatia meet in the semi-finals of the World Cup 2022, it’s likely to be a cracker. Both teams have been playing some of the best football in the world, and this match will be a tough one to predict.
Despite their excellent record in this tournament, Croatia have arguably been the most vulnerable side to the expected goal (xG) difference in the knockout stages. They have scored fewer goals than they’ve created and conceded a significant number of chances.
In Friday’s quarter-final against the Netherlands, referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz issued a record-breaking 18 yellow cards. That included cautions for both Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni and his assistant Walter Samuel.
Referees
Argentina’s team will face Croatia in the World Cup semi-final on Tuesday night. Italian referee Daniele Orsato will be in charge of the match.
Orsato has officiated Serie A, UEFA Euro and a FIFA World Cup, so he is an experienced official. He will be assisted by Drew Fischer, one of the most active video assistant referees in this tournament.
There were several offside goals in the first half of this game, including a goal for Lionel Messi that was disallowed because he was offside when he struck the ball. This is something the VAR hasn’t done as much of at this World Cup, and there was a long time between when the offside touch was confirmed and then the decision made.
