World Cup 2022 

Quarter Final-2: NED vs ARG

Preview

Netherlands and Argentina will square off in Quarter Final-2 of the Qatar World Cup 2022 at the Lusail Stadium on Saturday, December 10. The two teams are coming on the back of comfortable wins in their respective last 16 encounters. While Argentina defeated Socceroos by  2-1, Netherlands maintained their unbeaten streak against Cristian Pulisic’s USA and sent them packing with a dominant 3-1 win. 

Oranje is the team to beat this season. They are in red hot form at the moment and have hardly struggled in the competition thus far. The Dutch started their WC 2022 campaign with a 2-0 win over Senegal. A minor blip in the next game ended in a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in matchday 2. They then feasted on a hapless Qatar to progress to the last 16. From front to back, this Dutch side is functioning like a well oiled machine. In the back line they have the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Nathan Ake, who have firmly held the defence. Midfield is led by Frankie De Jong alongside the veteran duo of Denzel Dumfries and Daley Blind. De Jong has been a revelation for the men in orange in the middle of the pitch. He controls the game from the back and has the vision to find men in the final third. Cody Gakpo, Davy Klassen and Memphis Depay form the forward line. Gakpo has been their breakout star in this competition, scoring three goals in four matches. He and Depay will look to run past Argentina’s defence with their brisk pace and movement. 

Barring the opening game against Saudi Arabia, Argentina hasn’t done much wrong in this tournament. The script had been written for the maestro Lionel Messi to end knockout hoodoo in his 1,000th career match, and the seven-time Ballon D’Or winner finally scored his first non-group stage World Cup goal in typical Messi fashion against the Socceroos, who went down fighting. The PSG forward found the back of the net with a low controlled finish before Julian Alvarez scored the second to put the game beyond reach. The Socceroos however didn’t give up and got one back via immense perseverance and resilience. Argentina most recently advanced from the quarter-finals to become runners-up in 2014, although they had lost their previous three ties in the last eight in 1998, 2006, and 2010, and their chances of success had been dashed nine times in a row since the original 1930 edition.

History may not favour Lionel Scaloni's men, but a 13-game scoring streak in all competitions does, and La Albiceleste would be wise to wrap Messi in cotton wool as they look to stop a barren skid in prior encounters with the Dutch. Indeed, the Albicelestes have failed to score in each of their previous three meetings with Netherlands, who have held Messi and co to two 0-0 draws in their most recent two World Cup clashes- winning the 2014 semi final on spot kicks- but the last thing that the Qatar tournament needs in yet another goalless affair.

Match Details

Match: Quarter Final-2: NED vs ARG  

Date: 10 December 2022

Time: 12:30 AM  

Venue: Lusail Stadium

Key Players 

NED: Memphis Depay has been at the centre of all the good things for the Dutch. He has been involved in 34 goals in his last 30 appearances, scoring 24 and assisting 10. He scored the opener against the USA, setting the tone for what was a powerful performance, and looks like a real threat up front with Cody Gakpo. 

ARG: Alvarez has emerged as Lionel Messi's key foil, having begun the tournament behind Lautaro Martinez in their group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

Alvarez has scored in both of his South American World Cup appearances. First, they faced Poland, and then Australia. Argentina has only had three players score in their first three games: Guillermo Stabile in 1930, Oreste Corbatta in 1958, and Hernan Crespo in 2006. If he starts and scores in this match, he will be the youngest player to do it in his first three World Cup appearances since Peru's Teofilo Cubillas in 1970. (21y 94d).

Possible Starting XIs

NED: Noppert; Timber, Van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, De Jong, De Roon, Blind; Klaassen; Gakpo, Depay

ARG: Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; Fernandez, De Paul, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez

Match Prediction

We say NED 1-2 ARG

Expect a closely fought encounter between these two sides. Both NED and ARG are in supreme form and it will take individual brilliance to separate the two. We believe Messi and co to edge past their opponents and book their place in the semis

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