Netherlands vs Argentina LIVE: World Cup 2022 team news and line-ups as Lisandro Martinez starts


Croatia knock Brazil out of World Cup after penalty shootout

Neymar could draw level Pele in one respect but he may never stand alongside him in another. Even the day when he equalled perhaps the greatest footballer’s record of 77 Brazil goals proved a harrowing, heart-breaking occasion. Pele was a triple World Cup 2022 winner and, at 30, Neymar’s chances of ever lifting the trophy may have vanished in a display of Croatian defiance.

This tournament may end up being defined not by Neymar but by the previously unheralded Dominik Livakovic, the penalty king who showed his prowess in open play, and by the remarkable obduracy of this extraordinary Croatia team. A country of just 4 million people are in a second successive semi-final and the favourites are out. There will be no sixth World Cup for the Selecao. Not now anyway.

Croatia, the serial shootout stars, held their nerve from 12 yards again. Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Luka Modric and Mislav Orsic all scored. Livakovic parried Rodrygo’s spot kick and when Marquinhos placed their fourth attempt against the foot of the post, Brazil were out. Neymar, seemingly slated to take the fifth, went unused. He ended up shaking his head in the centre circle. It provided a very different image from the joyous scenes when he seemed to have sent Brazil through. Yet Croatia, the most awkward of opponents, conjured a 116th-minute equaliser from their first shot on target.

Croatia knock Brazil out of World Cup after penalty shootout

Croatia 1-1 Brazil (Croatia win 4-2 on penalties): Marquinhos missed the crucial spot-kick as the five-time winners’ wait for a sixth goes on

Netherlands vs Argentina

The 2014 World Cup semi-final is the most recent meeting between the two nations. Argentina triumphed 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes.

Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder had penalties saved by Sergio Romero. Argentina converted all four penalties, including their first one by Lionel Messi.

Netherlands vs Argentina

Kicking off at 7pm is the second quarter-final of the tournment with the Netherlands and Argentina vying for a place in the semi-finals where they would take on Croatia.

Here’s how the two teams line-up:

Netherlands XI: Noppert, Timber, Van Dijk, Ake, Dumfries, De Roon, De Jong, Blind, Gakpo, Depay, Bergwijn

Argentina XI: Martinez, Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Martinez, Acuna, De Paul, Enzo, MacAllister, Messi, Alvarez

Neymar equals Pele’s goalscoring record for Brazil with World Cup strike against Croatia

Neymar has joined Pele as the top all-time goalscorer for Brazil’s men’s team, netting his 77th strike for the Selecao while playing in their World Cup quarter-final loss to Croatia.

Pele, who has been suffering from ill health in recent weeks, scored 77 goals for Brazil across 92 official appearances. The former striker, 82, played his first game for the national team in 1957 and his last in 1971, winning three World Cups during that spell.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old Neymar was making his 124th appearance for Brazil when he scored in their Qatar World Cup quarter-final defeat by Croatia on Friday (9 December).

Neymar equals Pele’s goalscoring record for Brazil

Neymar joined the legendary striker as his nation’s top all-time men’s scorer on 77 goals, while Marta has 115 for Brazil’s women’s team

Tenacious Croatia execute perfect blueprint to upset Brazil

This tenacious Croatia side simply refuse to die and shone a light on how to topple the former World Cup favourites Brazil. Nerves jangling from the mere hint of penalty kicks, Croatia relish this intense mental battle on football’s biggest stage, thriving when it matters most.

Before the penalty drama, Zlatko Dalic unveiled a blueprint with more nuance than surviving and a reliance on warrior-like defending. Josip Juranovic emerged as an unlikely talisman as the 2018 runners-up shook the Selecao at times with a number of adventurous forrays into the final third.

Anticipation or quickly reacting, Croatia coped admirably with Tite’s desire to push as many of his star-studded attack into the final third, made possible by Danilo’s unusual role. With Mario Pasalic initially working back and keeping an eye on Vini Jr, the Juventus defender stepped up and tucked inside to sit with Casemiro at the base of the midfield when the Selecao had possession.

Tenacious Croatia execute perfect blueprint to upset Brazil

Croatia 1-1 Brazil: Zlatko Dalic’s side stunted the Selecao with a superb gameplan and held their nerve on spot kicks

Croatia defeat Brazil 4-2 on penalties

What a shock. Croatia are the first team to reach the 2022 World Cup semi-finals. With France in the other side of the draw the possibility is there that this tournament could be a repeat of the 2018 final.

To get that far Croatia will need to beat either Argentina or the Netherlands. Those two nations go toe-to-to next.

Croatia vs Brazil player ratings: Lucas Paqueta impresses but Dominik Livakovic the hero again

Brazil were taken to extra time and penalties by Croatia, with their attempt to land a sixth triumph ended by a shootout defeat as the European side made it through to the semi-finals of the World Cup 2022.

The first half was a mainly attritional affair, with Brazil only sporadically clicking into gear and Croatia having large spells in possession, albeit with a blunt attack.

After the restart the match opened up somewhat with the Selecao having a few counter-attacks causing danger and goalkeeper Dominik Livkovic being called upon to make one-on-one blocks, but quality in the final third remained lacking.

Extra time was as tense as ever but Neymar finally opened the scoring after a superb exchange of passes – only for a deflected Bruno Petkovic shot to change matters only minutes before the whistle, sending the game to penalties where Petkovic saved from Rodrygo and watched Marquinhos hit the post.

Here are the player ratings from the first quarter-final.

Croatia vs Brazil player ratings: Paqueta impresses but Livakovic the hero again

Croatia 1-1 Brazil (4-2 on pens): Over 100 minutes of goalless action before Neymar broke the deadlock, only for Bruno Petkovic’s deflected strike to send the game to penalties

Croatia defeat Brazil 4-2 on penalties



Croatia defeat Brazil 4-2 on penalties

What a brilliant victory for Croatia. They came into the match with a gameplan and executed almost flawlessly. Neymar’s fantastic goal almost sent Brazil into the next round but Bruno Petkovic secured an equaliser and Croatia made it through the penalty shootout.

Croatia are into the World Cup semi-finals for the second tournament in a row. Incredible.

Brazil, the favourites to win the competition, are out.

Penalties: Croatia 4-2 Brazil

MISS! Marquinhos hits the post! Croatia win! They’re into the World Cup semi-finals and Brazil have been knocked out.

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