Argentina defeat Netherlands on penalties to reach World Cup semi-finals

Argentina secured a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout win over the Netherlands to set up a semi-final clash with Croatia in the World Cup.

Argentina looked like cantering into the semis after Nahuel Molina opened the scoring with his first goal for his country, before Lionel Messi added a second from the penalty spot with less than 20 minutes left to play.

But substitute Wout Weghorst latched on to a delicious Steven Berghuis cross to head Netherlands back into the contest with their first effort on target, before poking home from a brilliantly worked free-kick in the 10th-minute of injury-time.

Argentina substitute, Lautaro Martinez, rattled the post in the last minute of extra-time, but with the score level at 2-2, the quarter-final tie went to the dreaded spot-kicks.

Emiliano Martinez saved the first two Netherlands penalties from Virgil van Dijk and Berghuis, giving the Dutch a mountain to climb, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the decisive spot-kick to ensure Argentina prevailed 4-3 in the shootout.

Speaking after the game, Messi said: “Argentina are among the four best in the world because they show that they know how to play every game with the same desire and the same intensity.

“A lot of joy, a lot of happiness. We didn’t have to go to extra-time or penalties, we had to suffer. But we got through and it’s impressive.”

The Star