Argentina defeated the Netherlands in a nail-biting 4-3 penalty shootout to advance to the World Cup final and face Croatia in the round of 16.
🇦🇷 Argentina wins 4-3 in penalties against Netherlands at the World Cup. #FIFAWorldCup to advance to the Semi finals pic.twitter.com/mVly55DPHn
— ANN (@angelnetnews) December 9, 2022
 After Nahuel Molina scored his first goal for Argentina, Lionel Messi added a second from the penalty spot with less than 20 minutes remaining, and Argentina appeared to be coasting into the semifinals.
But substitute Wout Weghorst latched on to a delicious Steven Berghuis cross to head Netherlands back into the contest with their first effort on target, before poking home from a brilliantly worked free-kick in the 10th-minute of injury-time.
Argentina substitute Lautaro Martinez rattled the post in the last minute of extra-time, but with the score level at 2-2, the quarter-final tie went to the dreaded spot-kicks.
Emiliano Martinez saved the first two Netherlands penalties from Virgil van Dijk and Berghuis, giving the Dutch a mountain to climb, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the decisive spot-kick to ensure Argentina prevailed 4-3 in the shootout.
Croatia Knock out Brazil from Qatar 2022
Croatia shocked Brazil 4-2 in penalty shootouts to advance to the semi final of the FIFA World Cup here in Doha, Qatar.
The 2018 finalists Croatians held the South Americans to a 1-1 draw in the regulation and added time before the lottery of penalty kicks. Expectedly, Croatian goalkeeper, Dominik Livakovic who stopped three penalties against Japan in the round of 16, proved to be the hero of the evening again as he saved Rodrygo’s first kick for the Selecao while Marquinhos also slammed his fourth kick against the upright.
The two kicks scored by Pedro and Casemiro were wasted as Mislav Orsic, Luka Modric, Lovro Majer and Nikolas Vlasic converted all their four penalties to progress Croatia to the last 4 stage of Qatar 2022.
