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Messi performed a starring function in La Albiceleste’s 3-0 triumph in Lusail, producing each a aim and an help to squash Croatia’s hopes and lengthen his personal, all in pursuit of soccer’s holy grail.
It actually wasn’t the efficiency Zlatko Dalic had envisioned when he delivered his desired techniques earlier than kick-off, particularly not from Gvardiol, the person many consider has been one of the best defender in Qatar.
The 20-year-old’s directions have been clear from the outset: press Messi the second he receives the ball, and when he doesn’t, keep as tight as you may.
This mission to man-mark arguably the sport’s best ever participant labored properly for the opening half an hour, in fact, significantly as Croatia maintained possession by means of the formidable midfield trio of Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic.
Modric’s motion, coupled with Kovacic’s flip of tempo, compelled Messi to drop deeper into midfield consequently, and left strike accomplice Julian Alvarez remoted on the high of Argentina’s assault.
As Messi retreated, so too did Gvardiol, however what transpired within the 10 minutes earlier than half-time would shortly change into the system to foil Dalic’s plans, and even create the sport’s opening aim.
“Gvardiol, for all the sport, has been entering into midfield to mark Messi as a result of he’s on Argentina’s right-hand aspect,” SBS World Cup analyst Craig Foster mentioned of the RB Leipzig defender.
“That’s what opens the house for the ball excessive. He’s trying inside, he’s on Messi, so he leaves a one-on-one and Alvarez makes a stunning run in behind.
“That is the third penetrating ball that they performed, just about for nearly the identical cause. So, the plan that Croatia had, for one of the best defender within the match to be near Messi, has ended up costing them.”
Alvarez was later fouled by goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic following an extended ball contained in the field, permitting Messi to attain his fifth aim of the marketing campaign and third of the knockout levels after changing in opposition to Australia and the Netherlands.
Although a slice of appreciable luck allowed Alvarez to double his nation’s lead earlier than the break, Messi’s subsequent significant run-in with Gvardiol was nothing of the kind – in actual fact, it was outstanding.
With the 35-year-old now completely positioned behind Alvarez as a part of Lionel Scaloni’s altered 5-3-1-1 setup, a neat change close to the sideline allowed the Paris Saint-Germain star to once more isolate Gvardiol out of place and beat him for tempo, earlier than skilfully doing so once more to seek out Alvarez for his game-sealing second.
It was a lesson of types for Gvardiol and one more show of Argentina’s skill in transition – one at a stage not seen by Scaloni’s aspect of their first 5 matches of the match.
Nevertheless, as Foster explains, Croatia’s shortcomings have been maybe not a lot a mirrored image of Gvardiol’s efficiency, however moderately a reminder of the problem that comes with stopping the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“The difficulty with Messi is: should you stand off him, he’ll get his head up, he’ll play somebody in, and they’ll rating,” Foster added.
“In the event you go tight, that’s what he likes; the extra that you simply make a problem, he skips previous you – that’s how he beats folks.”
Messi now has 5 objectives to go together with three assists forward of the ultimate, and you are feeling the little magician may need another trick up his sleeve for whoever dares stand in his method.