World Cup Daily: Timeless Messi is on a mission for Argentina
After every matchday of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Sportsnet.ca’s World Cup Daily weblog will recap the day’s occasions and sit up for the following day’s slate of video games.
Here’s what occurred on Saturday in Qatar, in case you missed it…
THE RESULTS
Netherlands 3, United States 1 in Al Rayyan: Match report || Match stats
Argentina 2, Australia 1 in Al Rayyan: Match report || Match stats
Quarter-finals matchup: Argentina vs. the Netherlands in Lusail (Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. ET)
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MAIN TALKING POINT
Lionel Messi marks particular milestone with one other aim
At age 35, Lionel Messi is on the house stretch of a exceptional profession that may certainly finish with him taking on everlasting residence within the sport’s pantheon alongside the all-time greats. But he’s taking part in like a person half his age in Qatar, and seems to be on a mission to steer Argentina to its third World Cup crown — the primary since Diego Maradona put La Albiceleste on his shoulders and carried them to glory 36 years in the past in Mexico.
Saturday marked Messi’s 1,000th mixed sport for membership and nation, and he wasn’t going to let the event go with out doing one thing particular. It occurred within the thirty fifth minute after Argentina failed to interrupt down a defensively resolute Australia. The Socceroos couldn’t clear their strains because the ball was performed into the field, and it will definitely fell to the magical Messi, who stroked a low, curling shot by the legs of a defender and contained in the publish.
It was his third aim of this match, and ninth general on the World Cup, shifting him previous Maradona on Argentina’s all-time scorer’s listing on the competitors. He is now only one behind the chief, Gabriel Batistuta. His first-ever aim within the knockout levels of the World Cup was additionally the 789th of his profession, however you simply know he’ll add extra to that tally by the point he leaves Qatar.
If Argentina is to win the World Cup a 3rd time, it gained’t be solely due to Messi. The Paris Saint-Germain star has a powerful supporting solid of younger gamers serving to him out, most notably Alexis Mac Allister (23), Julián Álvarez (22) and Enzo Fernández (21), all of whom have made main contributions to the Argentine trigger.
Still, there isn’t any escaping the truth that that is Messi’s group, and that when Argentina is in want of a second of inspiration and particular person brilliance, they inevitably look in the direction of the person carrying the No. 10 jersey. With each contact of the ball on Saturday, the largely pro-Argentina crowd gathered inside Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in All Rayyan anxiously waited to see what sort of magic would quickly unfold. More occasions than not, they weren’t disillusioned.
Netherlands reveals its class in win over the U.S.
The American dream died a sluggish, lingering loss of life on Saturday on the FIFA World Cup, buried alive by an Oranje avalanche. Except for a short spell within the second half the place the United States seemed to have the Netherlands on the ropes because it sought an equalizer, Louis van Gaal’s aspect outclassed their Concacaf opponents fairly comfortably, spurred on by the magnificent play of their two wingers, Daley Blind and Denzel Dumfries.
You realize it was going to be a protracted day for the U.S. after Christian Pulisic spurned a wonderful scoring likelihood that might’ve given his nation the lead after solely 4 minutes. The Dutch rapidly settled down and took management of the sport, after which shredded the Americans aside with a 20-pass attacking sequence that gave them the lead after solely 10 minutes. It was a aim that reeked of sophistication and ruthlessness, the Netherlands’ Clockwork Orange precision – or Oranje on this case – underlining the massive hole between the 2 nations.
The aim was additionally the primary allowed by the U.S. from the run of play in Qatar and was basically the nail in its coffin. In 37 World Cup matches, the American males’s group has by no means gained a sport wherein it has trailed.
A second killer blow got here proper earlier than halftime when Dumfries performed a cross into the field for Blind, who scored his third worldwide aim for the Dutch and first in over eight years. A fortuitous aim courtesy of second-half substitute Haji Wright within the 76th minute was the spotlight of a fervent eight-minute interval wherein the Americans seemed like they might full an inconceivable comeback and pressure further time.
But the Dutch rapidly snuffed that out, as Blind crossed into the field for a totally unmarked Dumfries, who volleyed house his shot previous goalkeeper Matt Turner. This younger U.S. group had loads of resolve, however that may solely carry you to this point on the World Cup, particularly in opposition to a group the calibre of the Netherlands.
GOAL OF THE DAY
The Netherlands put collectively a stunningly stunning 20-pass sequence that ended with Denzel Dumfries choosing out Memphis Depay close to the penalty spot with a low cross and the Barcelona man hitting a first-time shot that swept previous American goalkeeper Matt Turner.
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MOMENT OF THE DAY
Netherlands midfielder Daley Blind rushed to the sidelines to embrace his father Danny, a former participant of some reputation and present assistant coach with the Dutch nationwide group, after scoring in opposition to the United States.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“When you play a team with so much quality like that and you give them three, four chances, they’re going to put three or four away.” – United States captain Tyler Adams
SIX PACK OF STATS
• The Netherlands’ males’s group is unbeaten in its final 20 World Cup video games in opposition to non-European opponents (with 14 wins), relationship again to its quarter-final loss vs. Brazil in 1994.
• At 25 years and 84 days, the United States’ beginning lineup was the youngest in a males’s World Cup knockout match since Slovakia (24 years and 239 days) vs. the Netherlands in 2010.
• Concacaf nations have gained simply one in all their final 21 matches on the males’s World Cup in opposition to UEFA opposition (with 13 losses).
• At 21 years and 320 days, Enzo Fernández is the youngest member of Argentina’s males’s group to begin a World Cup knockout match since Ariel Ortega in opposition to Romania in 1994 (20 years and 121 days).
• Julián Álvarez is the sixth participant to attain in every of his first two World Cup begins for Argentina, and the primary to take action since Hernán Crespo in 2006.
• Lionel Messi has opened the scoring in six matches on the males’s World Cup, the joint-most of any participant within the historical past of the competitors.
Stats courtesy of Opta
THREE STARS OF THE DAY
1) Denzel Dumfries, the Netherlands: After amassing assists on his group’s first two targets, he scored within the 81st minute to kill off any likelihood of an American comeback and secured a well-deserved win for the Dutch.
2) Lionel Messi (Argentina): The Argentine wizard scored his third aim of this World Cup and produced a number of moments of magic in what turned out to be a decent sport in opposition to Australia, serving to his nation to maneuver on.
3) Daley Blind, the Netherlands: Like Dumfries, he triggered the U.S. all types of issues together with his excellent play down the left wing. Scored the Netherlands’ second aim after which arrange his group’s third to place the Americans away.
LOOKING AHEAD TO SUNDAY
The spherical of 16 continues on Sunday with two extra matchups.
France takes on Poland (10 a.m. ET) in a match between nations which are coming off losses of their ultimate group-stage video games. But the French made a slew of line-up adjustments, and with Kylian Mbappé main a first-rate assault, the Polish may very well be in for a tough time.
The late sport sees England tackle Senegal (2 p.m. ET). The Africans have executed very effectively to get this far within the match with out veteran ahead Sadio Mané (dominated out of the World Cup on account of harm), whereas England relied on its core of thrilling younger gamers to go undefeated by the primary spherical.
John Molinaro is likely one of the main soccer journalists in Canada, having coated the sport for over 20 years for a number of media retailers, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is presently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, an internet site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic might be discovered right here.
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