Holland-Argentina is a World Cup 2022 quarter-final match to be played on Friday at 20:00: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
And so it will be Holland v Argentina again, the match that has now become in effect a great classic in World Cup history. This will even be the sixth confrontation between the two selections, protagonists of epic battles in the past, including the 1978 final in Buenos Aires, which coincided with the first historic triumph of the South Americans. A rivalry that is renewed after eight years, when they faced each other in the semi-finals in the Brazilian World Cup. Neither side managed to break the deadlock in the 120 minutes and it took penalty kicks to decide Germany’s challenger in the final in Rio de Janeiro. Argentina won from the penalty spot, taking advantage of mistakes by Vlaar and Sneijder, who were hypnotised by goalkeeper Romero.
The star of that Albiceleste, needless to say, was always Leo Messi, who only lacks the coveted World Cup with the Selección to crown a legendary career. Three goals and an endless dose of personality for the 35-year-old Psg phenomenon, who literally took his national team by the hand after the shock start with Saudi Arabia.
Messi is dragging Argentina along
The magic of the Pulce from Rosario and the tactical adjustments made by coach Lionel Scaloni – the inclusion of three players who are proving to be fundamental such as Enzo Fernandez, Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez – have helped chase away the ghosts of a resounding elimination. Argentina beat Mexico and Poland without any major problems – both 2-0 – and in the round of 16 they managed to break down Australia’s tight defence despite shining less brightly than in previous matches.
On the scoresheet were the usual Messi and Alvarez, but in the final Scaloni’s men took too many risks, conceding the 2-1 goal and keeping the Socceroos’ hopes alive until the very end. Goalkeeper Martinez’s save on Australian Kuol in the dying minutes prevented a dangerous extra time.
The Netherlands know how to hurt
Dumfries
There are those who claim that Argentina’s ‘real’ World Cup will begin against Louis van Gaal’s Oranje, a selection that, without overdoing it, has achieved the minimum objective it set itself before leaving for Qatar. The Netherlands may not have the big names it had in past editions, but it is a very solid and organised team, which has more than one arrow in its bow to hurt its opponents. And above all, they have not lost for 19 matches, since the last European Championship. In the group stage it went through as first, beating Senegal and Qatar without conceding a goal and drawing 1-1 against Ecuador. It went up a level in the round of 16, when it let the USA and their sterile dribbling ‘off the hook’ and struck at the right moment (3-1), exploiting the superb performance of the Inter Milan player Dumfries, a man of the match with two assists and a goal.
Depay also scored, while Gakpo, the young Psv Eindhoven striker who seems to have exploded here in Qatar with three goals in the group stage, was left out.
Holland-Argentina: the latest line-up news
Van Gaal will not change anything and will confirm the eleven that beat the Americans 3-1. The three-man defence is back, with Timber replacing former Juventus man de Ligt, who will start again from the bench. Next to him will play captain van Dijk and Aké. Dumfries and Blind will play on the flanks, with de Jong and Atalanta’s de Roon in the middle. In front there will be no centre forward, but the ‘light’ duo of Gakpo and Depay: behind them it will be Klaassen’s turn again.
Scaloni’s conundrum concerns the presence of Di Maria, again plagued by muscular problems. The Juventus winger will do everything he can to be there, while ‘Papu’ Gomez, who is struggling with a sprained ankle, might not be able to. In attack, Julian Alvarez has now displaced Inter’s Lautaro Martinez, while Otamendi and Romero should play in defence, despite pressure from Lisandro Martinez.
The Prediction
Unspectacular, but cynical and concrete: this Netherlands wants to play the role of outsider in this World Cup and has everything to trouble Argentina, who have already stuttered against very solid and organised formations in the non-possession phase. Messi and his team-mates remain favourites to go through, but it will be a very evenly-balanced match – along the lines of the last two previous fixtures (2006 and 2014), which ended 0-0 – and a largely deadlocked one, with fewer than four goals in all. A draw in the 90 minutes is a viable option.
The Netherlands v Argentina likely line-up
- LAND (3-4-1-2): Noppert; Timber, van Dijk, Aké; Dumfries, F. de Jong, de Roon, Blind; Klaassen; Gakpo, Depay.
- ARGENTINA (4-3-3): E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; Fernandez, De Paul, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
