The tournament has reached a stage where my favorite team since 1990, Argentina, is guaranteed the full quota of seven matches after they eliminated Netherlands on a penalty shootout. The semifinal opponents who were known even before kickoff are Croatia. I had given Croatia only a small sporting chance of going through against Brazil in their quarter finals but they did exactly that. Argentina’s last match of the world cup will be against either France or Morocco. I hope that match is the World Cup final and that Argentina come out on top in that match too.
Argentina’s tournament started with a match against Saudi Arabia in group C which also consisted of Mexico and Poland. Everyone expected Argentina to cruise through that match especially after they took a lead through a penalty early in the first half. However, things changed early in the second half when two super strikes from the Saudis found the back of the net. The Argentines tried to fight back but couldn’t even snatch a draw and dropped all three points in their opening match. That also meant that Argentina had only won one of their last seven world cup matches since the 2014 semi-final. All wasn’t lost though. Argentina still had two more group games and they could qualify and still win the group if they did well in those two matches.
In both those matches, Argentina scored 2-0 wins after goalless first halves. It also meant that Argentina topped the group.
They faced Australia in the round of sixteen and took a 2-0 lead again in the second half but unlike the two earlier games, Argentina’s first goal was scored in the first half. Australia got one goal back and the match ended 2-1.
Argentina faced the Netherlands in the quarter finals and took a 2-0 lead yet again. The first goal was scored in the first half while the lead was doubled by a 73rd minute penalty. The Dutch were still able to fight back and score two late goals to take the match into extra time. I feared the worst at that point and started thinking what else I could do in my life to become happy but I was relieved when Argentina made it through on penalties anyway.
My first hope from Argentina in this World Cup is for them to win the whole tournament. My second hope was for them to play seven matches. Maybe the order should have been the other way around but half my hope has been fulfilled.
Croatia showed how capable they are in their last match but I guess Argentina still start as favourites in the match between the losing finalists of the last two world cups. The opponent of Argentina’s final match won’t be known until the second semifinal is played 24 hours after the first.
The winning formula in this world cup for Argentina seems to be to score two second half goals but not from the penalty spot. Argentina have failed to score any more goals in both matches where they have scored from a penalty. The opponents have got a goal back for every first half goal and every penalty scored by Argentina. Argentina have always scored first and conceded no goals in the first half. Argentina have always failed to score again after their opponents have started scoring. It’s like Argentina are playing one day cricket instead of football and batting first every time.
I have waited thirty-two years to see Argentina win the world cup. Argentina have reached and lost two finals to the same team which has knocked them out two more times in this 32-year span but has already been eliminated. The one team that I thought would be a tough nut to crack has been eliminated by another whose playing style seemed to be similar to Argentina. Will my wait finally be over? This question can be answered as “Maybe” on Tuesday and “Yes” on Sunday, 18 December 2022.
