After a tense match against Nigeria, Argentina managed to qualify for the knockout round of World Cup 2018 and face France on Saturday.
What end of match! Lionel Messi “did not think to suffer as much”, but Argentina qualified on the wire (2-1 against Nigeria). She will face in the knockout rounds, France which had mixed results in the first round. Croatia, which scares everyone, will cross Denmark in the next round.
The match between tles Bleus and Argentina will take place Saturday in Kazan (14:00 GMT). The other knockout match will take place on Sunday in Nizhny Novgorod (18:00 GMT).
Sublime Messi, Rojo this hero
Messi has opened the score with a sublime gesture for Albiceleste, but the hero is Marcos Rojo with a goal in the 86th minute against the “Super Eagles”, now eliminated. In the other Group D match, the Croatians won 2-1 against Iceland, the revelation of the Euro-2016, which passes the trap.
In Group C, France has kept the lead on a tasteless draw – the first 0-0 of the World Cup-2018 – against Denmark, which is content to qualify.
The audience of Luzhniki in Moscow even hissed Bleus and Danes in front of such a sad spectacle …
In the other match of the group C, Peru, already eliminated, beat 2 to 0 for the honor Australia, which also leaves the tournament.
Fingers of honor and malaise of Maradona
A match of Argentina without Diego Maradona is not a game of Argentina. “El Diez” did the show as usual. He first danced in the stands with a VIP wearing the “Super Eagles” jersey. Then he appeared in a trance, eyes rolled over, on the goal of Messi – control in two stages in the race and shot cross – before falling asleep … then to make an uneasiness at half-time, apparently without gravity.
[BUZZ] Ce geste de Maradona après le but victorieux de l’Argentine… 😕 pic.twitter.com/xp5pn0EcVv
— Life Magazine (@LifeMagazine_CI) June 26, 2018
On images posted on Twitter, we see Maradona walking with difficulty, supported by a man and taken to the VIP dining room where he sits to regain his senses. A photo shows two medical staff standing beside him, one taking his pulse.
Malore per #Maradona a fine gara #NigeriaArgentina pic.twitter.com/8DnoiHy18B
— Tutti Convocati (@tutticonvocati) June 26, 2018
According to the Argentinian sports daily Olé on its website, the former Number 10 suffered a “pressure spike” which caused him “a pain in the neck”, before being examined and resume his place in stands for the second half.
Then, drunk with joy, he made two fingers of honor – and we read “Putos” on his lips – when Rojo scored the liberating goal of the qualification.
“We knew it would be difficult. We managed to pass, but we did not think we would suffer as much, “admitted Messi. “The minutes passed, we started to press and attack and finally we managed to qualify. ”
Because in case of draw or defeat, there was no need for scholarly calculations and Argentina, already corrected by Croatia (3-0) and unable to beat Iceland (1-1), was taking the door.
Still doubts?
Can the five-fold Golden Ball bring the runner-up world champion away? He will find in front of him a France who did not mark the first round by his offensive animation – Antoine Griezmann remained very discreet – but made in the solid behind under the leadership of Didier Deschamps.
“France has a very good team, they have good individualities. They have very fast players who can make a difference. It will be difficult, “admitted Messi.
Argentina will in any case have to find a solution. Because Messi is 31 years old and it is perhaps his last World Cup, in search of the title he misses so much.
France rests players …
Deschamps did not hide that his team had not forced, probably not to risk yellow cards and injury for the upcoming knockout stages. “They (the Danes) do not come, we’re not going to get them if they want only one point. There was no undue risk to take either. The result is suitable for both teams even if we had the opportunity to win this game, “he commented on TF1.
The result is achieved: les Bleus finish at the top of group C and avoid the Croatia Luka Modric who corrected the Argentinians.
However, two players seem to have lost credit in this meeting dedicated to the substitutes of the French team: Ousmane Dembélé and Thomas Lemar, who have clearly lacked impact.
