Argentina won’t have had the very best begin to their World Cup journey, shedding out 2-1 to Saudi Arabia of their opening fixture. Nevertheless, because the World Cup approaches its finish, Argentina are within the semi-finals and are one of many favourites to win the event.
They did so after a stirring victory over Netherlands within the quarter-finals, which noticed tensions boil over between the 2 sides. Louis van Gaal’s staff had clawed again a two purpose deficit to power extra-time and penalty shootouts.
However Argentina prevailed within the shootout, because of inch good penalties from Lionel Messi, Leandro Paredes, Gonzalo Montiel and Lautaro Martinez. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez additionally turned hero by saving two essential penalties.
The victory took Messi and Argentina one step nearer to the holy grail – the World Cup! The win additionally took Argentina to their fourth World Cup semi-final. However extra importantly, the landmark shootout victory made Argentina probably the most profitable staff in World Cup historical past in relation to penalty shootouts.
Argentina have now received 5 penalty shootouts in World Cup historical past, greater than some other staff. And so they have carried out so in simply six makes an attempt, shedding only one penalty shootout on the greatest event.
Argentina’s first penalty shootout victory got here within the 1990 World Cup conflict towards Yugoslavia within the quarter-finals. They adopted it up with one other shootout win over hosts Italy within the semifinals. Goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea was the hero in each the shootouts.
The South American staff additionally acquired the higher of England within the 1998 World Cup Spherical of 16 after the groups drew 2-2 in regular time and additional time. Curiously, the subsequent win for the Argentinians in a penalty shootout got here within the 2014 World Cup semifinals towards Netherlands.
The one time they’ve misplaced a World Cup shootout was within the 2006 World Cup quarter-final towards Germany.
Their robust document will likely be an enormous benefit for Argentina as they subsequent tackle Croatia who’ve a repute for dragging their opponents right into a penalty shootout. Croatia themselves have reached the semi-final after two back-to-back shootout wins over Japan and Brazil.
Backed by a big document, can Argentina go forward and win their first World Cup since 1986? The World is Theirs to Take!