With a goal and assist, Lionel Messi appeared to have Argentina with one foot in the semifinals; that is, until the Netherlands mounted an incredible last-minute comeback to force extra time behind two goals from second-half substitute Wout Weghorst.
But just like in the 2014 semifinals, when Argentina defeated the Netherlands on penalties, Messi & Co. prevailed in a nailbiting shootout. Argentina will now face Croatia in the semifinals after the side outlasted Brazil in a penalty-kick shootout earlier in the day.
The Albiceleste didn’t make it easy for themselves though, even after establishing a 2–0 lead in a feisty match that ended with 15 cards issued. After earning a yellow card earlier in the match for yelling at the referee while on the bench, Weghorst was called into action by manager Louis van Gaal in the 78th minute to change the Dutch’s stale approach. Five minutes later, Weghorst notched a goal. And then, 11 minutes into stoppage time, he fired home another off a jaw-dropping free-kick routine to force extra time with a 2–2 scoreline.
But in the shootout, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez came up with two big saves on the Oranje’s first two shots to set the tone as Argentina won the shootout, 4–3.
The Netherlands got off to a nervy first 10 minutes, which began with Rodrigo De Paul blasting a shot that was just blocked by the Dutch defense. Minutes later, Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert nearly saw his pass intercepted by Julián Álvarez in front of goal.
But the Oranje settled in, owning possession and sending a series of crosses into the penalty area that briefly threatened Argentina. In the 24th minute, Steven Bergwijn sent a sizzling cross across the box that was just inches away from finding Cody Gakpo for the tap-in.
De Paul was involved once again from distance in the 33rd minute, when he took a pass outside the area with space to shoot but sent a weak shot that dribbled to Noppert for the easy save.
Two minutes later, Argentina struck first thanks to a sublime assist from Messi on the Nahuel Molina goal. Messi cut through the Netherlands defense just outside the penalty area before he slipped a no-look through ball to Molina, who slid the ball past Noppert for the 1–0 lead.
In the 40th minute, Messi had another chance at goal when he feinted one way and turned to his left, but his right-footed shot was hit right at Noppert.
After the halftime break, Messi was played through on goal by De Paul, but Noppert did well to anticipate the pass and snuff out the chance before Messi could latch onto it.
In the 63rd minute, Argentina was given a free kick just outside of the area that Messi lined up with his left, but he bent his shot just over the bar that hit an extension of the netting, causing fans in the stadium to roar before seeing the ball soar beyond the goal.
In the 73rd minute, Messi scored his 10th career World Cup goal by converting a penalty. After Marcos Acuña was taken down by Denzel Dumfries just inside the box, Messi stepped to the spot and tucked the ball into the right corner for the 2–0 lead.
Weghorst pulled one back for the Netherlands with a clinical header in the 83rd minute. The Beşiktaş forward made a run into the area as Steven Berghuis’s pass found him near the penalty spot as Weghorst sent his header across goal to cut the lead to 2–1.
In the 89th minute, Leandro Paredes was called for a foul on Nathan Aké before he launched the ball into the Dutch bench, causing the Netherlands players to run onto the pitch to confront him. Virgil van Dijk ran in and leveled Paredes, which ended with yellow cards for both players.
In the 93rd minute, the Dutch were given a free kick right at the edge of the area, but Berghuis couldn’t get the ball over the wall.
But in the 11th minute of stoppage time, the Netherlands pulled off the seemingly impossible. On a free kick from just outside the area, Teun Koopmeiners slipped a pass to Weghorst on a set play and the striker fought off his defender and finished to send the Dutch into a wild celebration just before extra time.
In the 104th minute, Messi sent a free kick to the far post that nearly landed for Nicolás Otamendi, but the defender just missed on a sliding effort.
Argentina nearly struck on two occasions in the 115th minute, first with Lautaro Martínez’s shot was just blocked by van Dijk and nearly ended up in goal. Then, moments later, Enzo Fernández sent a bouncing shot goal-ward that hopped just over the bar.
In the 119th minute, Lautaro Martínez executed a hypnotizing turn at the edge of the box with his back toward goal and ripped a shot that required Noppert to push the chance wide.
In the last chance of extra time, Fernández struck the post on a low shot through the box before the match went to a shootout.
To start the shootout, Virgil van Dijk took the first penalty for the Dutch, but Emiliano Martínez guessed correctly and made the save.
Messi then stepped to the spot for the second time on the day and easily finished as he waited for Noppert to make the first move.
Emiliano Martínez then came up with another massive save on the Netherlands’ second shot, stopping Berghuis’s attempt.
Paredes converted Argentina’s second shot to give La Albiceleste a 2–0 advantage.
Koopmeiners converted the first penalty for the Dutch with a strong strike to make it 2–1.
Gonzalo Montiel confidently scored Argentina’s third chance as Argentina crept closer to a win.
Weghorst finished his chance with ease in the bottom corner away from Emiliano Martínez to make it 3–2.
Fernández then missed what could have been the winning penalty, shooting wide of the post.
Luuk de Jong converted the next chance for the Netherlands to make it 3–3 with Argentina given the last shot.
But Lautaro Martínez stepped up and buried his chance to away from Noppert to win the match for Argentina and send the side one game away from another World Cup final.
Here were the lineups for both sides:
Full World Cup squads
Netherlands
GOALKEEPERS: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Andries Noppert (Heerenveen), Remko Pasveer (Ajax)
DEFENDERS: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United), Jurriën Timber (Ajax), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan), Daley Blind (Ajax)
MIDFIELDERS: Steven Berghuis (Ajax), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Xavi Simons (PSV Eindhoven), Kenneth Taylor (Ajax)
FORWARDS: Steven Bergwijn (Ajax), Memphis Depay (Barcelona), Cody Gakpo (PSV), Vincent Janssen (Antwerp), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Noa Lang (Club Brugge), Wout Weghorst (Beşiktaş)
COACH: Louis van Gaal
Argentina
GOALKEEPERS: Franco Armani (River Plate), Emi Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Villarreal)
DEFENDERS: Marcos Acuña (Sevilla), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Germán Pezzella (Real Betis), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)
MIDFIELDERS: Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético Madrid), Enzo Fernández (Benfica), Alejandro Gómez (Sevilla), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Leandro Paredes (Juventus), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis)
FORWARDS: Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), Julián Álvarez (Manchester City), Ángel Correa (Atlético Madrid), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Ángel Di María (Juventus), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
