| Advertisement |
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Argentine sensation Lionel Messi will get another chance to add the most prestigious -- and elusive -- soccer title to his resume after helping Argentina beat Croatia in a World Cup semifinal Tuesday in Lusail, Qatar. Messi logged a goal and an assist in the 3-0 triumph at Lusail Stadium. Fellow forward Julian Alvarez scored twice for the Argentines.
Advertisement
Argentina, the No. 2 team in the world, will face No. 4 France or No. 22 Morocco in the 2022 World Cup finale Sunday in Lusail.
Argentina will seek its third World Cup title, while Messi returns to soccer's biggest stage for the first time since a 1-0 loss to Germany in the 2014 finale.
No. 12 Croatia, the runner-up at the 2018 World Cup, failed to place a shot on target in the first half. They put two attempts on net in the second half, but couldn't beat Argentine goalie Emiliano Martinez.
Midfielder Enzo Fernandez put the first shot on the Croatian net in the 25th minute, but Croatian keeper Dominik Livakovic denied the attempt.
Less than 10 minutes later, a Livakovic error led the Argentina's first score. The star goalie brought down Alvarez inside the box to prompt a penalty kick.
Messi calmly stepped up to the spot and blasted the attempt into the right side of the net, beating Livakovic for his fifth score of the tournament in the 34th minute. He is now tied with France's Kylian Mbappe for the most goals at Qatar 2022.
Argentina doubled the advantage when Alvarez found the net about five minutes later. The Argentine's stole a Croatia corner kick to spark that score. Messi raced to the ball in transition and poked past a defender. Alvarez then picked up the pass just before midfield.
He dribbled by several defenders, then raced to his right as he neared the box. Alvarez briefly lost control inside the box, but got the ball back when it bounced off a defender. He finished the play with a right-footed shot right in front of Livakovic.
Argentina remained aggressive to start the second half, but couldn't beat Livokovic for most of the second half.
Croatia continued to struggle at placing a shot on net down the stretch. One of the Croatians' best chances came in the 62nd minute, when the ball bounced around in the Argentine box after a free kick, but the Argentina defense provided a clutch clearance to maintain the shutout.
Messi and Alvarez teamed up for a third Argentina goal in the 69th minute. Messi beat several defenders as he carried a long dribble into the right side of the box.
Messi deployed a combination of hesitation moves and crafty touches to skate around Croatian fullback Josko Gvardiol before he reached the right end line and fired a pass in front of the net.
Alvarez finished the play with a one-touch blasted into the middle of the net for the final score of the night.
France will face Morocco in the other World Cup semifinal at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday on Fox. The winner will advance to face Argentina in the World Cup finale at 10 a.m. Sunday on Fox.
The loser of the France-Morocco game will play Croatia in the third-place game at 10 a.m. Saturday on Fox.
