Can Croatia produce same level of football against Argentina as they have done so far in 2022 FIFA World Cup?
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Argentina vs Croatia at 2022 FIFA World Cup
Luka Modric-led Croatia have reached their second consecutive World Cup semifinals and is all set face Leo Messi’s Argentina. In 2018 they defeated England 2-1 to reach their first World Cup finals against then-one-time champions France. They fell short on their last hurdle as Le Blues defeated them quite comfortably with the scoreline 4-2.
Croatia have shown time & time, they are not a country to mess with when it comes to International pedigree. In this edition, many pundits had predicted them to struggle advancing past the group stage with Belgium, Canada & Morocco to play against with their squad aging and many players in the twilight years of their careers.
They finished second in their group at the expense of Belgium and played expansive football in the process. They lack pace in their squad, as only left-back Borna Sosa can march up & down the flanks. The biggest strength of Croats has always been the intelligence midfield they have. With the ball at their feet, the Croatian midfield can always wreak havoc in front of the opposition goal.
Croatia’s next test in 2022 FIFA World Cup will be Lionel Messi-led Argentina
Now, they face their biggest challenge in the face of Lionel Messi-led Argentina. After losing to Saudi Arabia in their opening group-stage encounter, Argentina have regrouped and maintained their goal-scoring form which saw them come close to Italy’s record of most unbeaten games in International football.
Captain Messi has been in outstanding form in the tournament, scoring 4 and assisting 2 goals in the process. Other players who have stepped up in the World Cup are Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandes & Alexis Mac Allister. The only area of concern for Argentina has been their defense, having conceded in both of their knockout matches in relatively shaky circumstances.
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How can Croatia defeat Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
In order to defeat the Albicelestes, Croatia will have to stick with their basics as they did against mighty Brazil. Croatia has a superior midfield on paper and technical quality with Brozovic, Modric & Kovacic having shared the pitch for many years.
One area where Croatia also has an advantage is the team lineup with their squad rarely changing as to Argentina who still have doubts over their starting 11 and are missing both of their full-backs through suspension. Argentina heavily relies on Messi’s brilliance and if Croatia could nullify the diminutive forward, their chances of winning would increase substantially.
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Sujeeth Shetty
(766 Articles Published)