World Cup Semifinals Roundup

The World Cup Semifinals are over. We already have a final for Qatar 2022! Argentina and France will play on Sunday for the glory, after beating Croatia and Morocco, respectively.

World Cup Semifinals: Argentina vs. Croatia

The Albiceleste easily beat Croatia 3-0 with a great match by Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez, who scored the goals. The Italian referee Daniele Orsato had a questionable performance that was decisive.

The game was over in the first half after Julián Álvarez was “knocked down” in the area by goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at minute 32, in a rather dubious action. In addition, the action came from a corner kick that was in favor of Croatia and that Orsato did not penalize but gave a goal kick. The person in charge of the collection was Messi and he did not hesitate. Strong shot up and to the side, impossible for the goalkeeper.

5 minutes later, from a Croatian corner kick, Argentina recovered and came out fast. Álvarez ran more than 100 meters and between stumbles and strokes of luck, the Manchester City striker made it 2-0 and practically sealed the game.

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They were two punches that the Croats received very often and could not overcome it. The European team was nothing like the one that eliminated Brazil and never came close to scoring.

In the second half, Messi showed that he returned to his best level and made a great play, leaving Josko Gvardiol lying and assisting Álvarez so that he only had to push the ball. 3-0 and the pass to the final, the sixth for Argentina and the second in the last 3 World Cups.

Now Messi is going for eternal glory and the title he is missing. Everything seems to be on track for a dream end to Leo’s international career, at least in the World Cup. However, they have a preatty harsh challenge before that.

World Cup Semifinals: France vs. Morocco

France managed to advance to the final of Qatar 2022 after beating Morocco 2-0. However, they did’t left a good impression, and know that they have to improve to be able to revalidate the title won in Russia 2018.

It could be said that it is a “fake” 2-0, since the Moroccan team, which has been the great surprise of this World Cup, had the French team on the ropes for a long time, but it was not as effective as its rival.

An error by the African defense allowed Theo Hernández to lead the way with an unorthodox goal after 5 minutes. It was only the second goal they conceded in the World Cup, the first scored by a rival player, and it was barely 5 minutes in. Undoubtedly it was a bucket of cold water that destroyed the approach of coach Walid Regragui, but it motivated Morocco to go out and look for the goal and created a great game.

Led by Sofyan Amrabat and Sofiane Boufal, the Africans were looking for the equalizer and almost did so at the end of the first half with a bicycle kick from Jawad El Yamiq, but the shot hit the post.

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In the second half they kept trying and trying, but they couldn’t score. Hakim Ziyech did not play his best game, nor did Achraf Hakimi, the two main figures of the team, and that was undoubtedly essential.

And if on the one hand they didn’t score the goals, France took advantage and in a good individual play by Kylian Mbappé, Randal Kolo Muani was able to score on the first ball he touched after having entered just a few seconds before. It was 2-0 and peace of mind for the French team.

Morocco kept trying but couldn’t and its great dream ended, but it lasted much longer than they would have thought.

On the French sides, a bad game for those led by Didier Deschamps who found themselves in danger many times and outclassed by a team that, on paper, was inferior. Morocco surpassed them in possession (61%) and they were only able to finish 3 times on target, although 2 of them ended in goals and that speaks highly of their effectiveness.

Mbappé couldn’t shine, but the one who continues to do so is Antoine Griezmann, who was the MVP of the game and who has become the leader of this team and against Argentina he hopes to continue to be so.