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Post by Jep Gambardella on Jul 7, 2021 3:13:52 GMT
Argentinian goalkeeper Martinez is the hero of the night after saving not one, not two but THREE penalties in the shootout.
It will be a Brazil vs Argentina final. Neymar vs Messi. Can Messi finally win a title with and for his country?
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Post by DrKrippen on Jul 7, 2021 6:30:45 GMT
Argentina vs Colombia was as good as anything in the Euro. Only it was more physical. The Colombia team were like narco thugs.  They pummeled Messi all game long and he ended up with bloody ankles, the blood soaking right through his socks in the end. |
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 9:51:58 GMT
2am BST kick-off and I missed it. This was always going to be feisty, 10 yellows and almost 50 fouls. But fortunately a 'live' replay is on the BBC I Player to watch right now.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 10:39:45 GMT
The Mané Garrincha Stadium
ARGENTINA
23 Martínez
26 Molina Substituted for Montielat 45'minutes Booked at 72mins
6 Pezzella Booked at 90mins
19 Otamendi
3 Tagliafico
7 de Paul
18 Rodríguez Booked at 87mins
20 Lo Celso Booked at 21mins Substituted for Paredesat 56'minutes
10 Messi
22 Martínez
15 González Substituted for Di María at 67'minutes
Substitutes
1 Armani
2 Martínez Quarta
4 Montiel
5 Paredes
8 Acuña
9 Agüero
11 Di María
14 Palacios
21 Correa
24 Gómez
25 Martínez
28 Musso
COLOMBIA
1 Ospina
16 Muñoz Booked at 75mins
13 Mina
23 D Sánchez
6 Tesillo Substituted for Fabraat 45'minutes Booked at 55mins
11 Ju Cuadrado Booked at 45mins
5 Barrios Booked at 88mins
8 Cuéllar Substituted for Charáat 45'minutes
14 Díaz
18 Borré Substituted for Cardonaat 45'minutes Booked at 86mins
7 Zapata Substituted for Borjaat 60'minutes Booked at 63mins
Substitutes
2 Medina
3 Murillo
4 Cuesta
9 Muriel
10 Cardona
12 Vargas
19 Borja
21 Pérez
22 Quintana
25 Perlaza
26 Fabra
28 Chará
We're off and there's early skills from Messi as he twists and turns past three opposition players and works his way to the corner of the area, sends one in which Gonzalez' head fires just wide of the Colombian nest.
GOAL ARGENTINA
You have to say that apart from the first two minutes Colombia hasn't offered us much and now they come under attack on '7. It was Lo Celso's driven ball that scythed through the Colombian rear guard to find Messi in the box; he fooled two yellow shirts, stabbed it back to Lautaro Martinez who slides it home from 12 yards, Ospina no chance.
And straight from the restart the ball is up the other end with Luis Dias steaming down the left flank; he crosses it into Cuadrado and it's a similar assault to the goal just now except this time Cuadrado shoots and Emiliano Martinez gets down to block it with a vital save on '8.
OOF! Emmi Martinez comes flying out of his nest and is clattered by Colombia's Zapata on '9. He looks winded and goes down. Not any malice on Zapata's part but now, for the ref's eyes, he decides to go down as well having seen the keeper clutching his stomach. But he's nothing to worry about, it was 50/50 to my eyes. And indeed VAR says no foul. But the ref's earpiece doesn't seem to be working and he goes to consult his monitor. Over three minutes of touchline confusion results in the ref awarding a throw-in to Argentina and the game finally resumes on '13.
THWACK! Lo Celso shoulder charges Colombia's Barrios on '20 but Barrios holds possession before Lo Celso tries another method of assault and scythes him down, coming in from the left to molest Barrio's left leg. But the game has been played in fairly good spirits so far as the clock hits the 20:00 mark.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 11:32:09 GMT
KLANG. Two Argentina players are flat out in the box but it's of their own doing. The Colombian corner came in and Gonzalez and Rodriguez clashed heads going for the ball. In the meantime Lo Celso handles the loose ball as he clears. The ref stops play, surrounded by Colombians who want a free-kick for Lo Celso's hands but the ref signals for medics to tend the floored players. He's got his work cut out here. Eventually the free-kick is awarded on '26. Cuadrado takes it from 25 yards but it flies over the wall and over the bar. Tigerish and quite breath-taking play from Messi on '34 as he holds off four opposition players to maintain possession in the Colombian half. What a treat that was to see. He's one goal away from equalling Pele's South American record of 77 goals in international outings. OFF THE POST from Colombia's Barrios. The attack was intially cleared from the Argentina area but the ball fell to Barrios who fired a low drive which took a deflection of Lo Celso and skidded off the woodwork on '37. OFF THE BAR! And from the resultant corner, Mina rises like Christina The Astonishing to power a header that cracks off the Argentina woodwork again. Oh, how unlucky!  Mina elevated himself like a Saint for that one, with the Argentina players looking helplessly on. Argentina now conserving some energy as they spread themselves in midfield, negotiating any Colombian attempt at penetration as half time looms. Messi takes a hotly disputed corner on '44. It swings in to the head of Gonzalez who heads down - Ospina makes an instinctive parry which sees the ball fly up and just over the bar, landing on the top netting. And it appears that Ospina has damaged his wrist with that save. Some Argentina players take full advantage of the Colombian medics' bag and help themselves to bottles of water. No, it looks like Ospina has hurt his knee. He eventually gets to his feet to carry on. Messi takes the corner but it comes to nothing. COLOMBIAN CRUNCH. Cuadrado is booked for a lunging challenge on Argentina's Tagliafico as the game begins to get niggly before the break. Ref Jesús Valenzuela from Venezuela calls time on the half having played 5 minutes of added. |
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 12:11:27 GMT
They are in the tunnel ready to come out. Colombia's Cuadrado is having a convo with the ref which carries on onto the pitch. You get the impression that the ref is hearing but not listening.
Multiple substitutions, two for Colombia, three for Argentina, I think, as the second portion is kicked off.
PRANG. Sub Fabra goes in with studs showing on Messi who falls to the ground in a heap on '49. Nothing malicious there really but the medics are on for Messi. He receives a dose of spray to his left ankle and carries on.
Unperturbed, here comes Fabra again, hunting down Messi. He goes in with a slider from behind and takes out the number 10. This time the ref takes his name and he gets a yellow after being on the pitch for 9 minutes.
CLATTER. Two minutes later it's Muñoz' turn to have a pop at Messi, going in on his left shin. He gets away with a verbal caution. Messi has been floored three times in the first ten minutes of this half and it is clear that he is now being specifically targeted for special attention.
GOAL
Just past the hour in an increasingly physical game, Colombia wins a free kick in their own half. It's taken quickly by Edwin Cardona who sends a rifling 40 yarder down the left flank which Luis Diaz latches onto at speed. Just look at him go! He's in the area, his marker can't stop him; he's to the left of the Argentina goal at a tricky angle, almost at the by-line. Keeper Martinez rushes him but he somehow dinks it over Martinez as defender Pezzella shoves him to the ground. What a superb finish, scoring as he is falling down.
ARGENTINA 1 COLOMBIA 1 on '61.
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Post by Carl LaFong on Jul 7, 2021 12:15:46 GMT
I can’t get the match in the red button, stags.
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Post by Carl LaFong on Jul 7, 2021 12:23:12 GMT
I can’t get the match in the red button, stags. No, you have to go to I Player. It's there. Ah, cheers!
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 12:44:33 GMT
The game slows down from 60-70 mins. Are the energy levels dropping, we ask ourselves. There's not much momentum to either side.
But here's Argentina's Di Maria on '71 working his way to the edge of the box; he fires but it is without power and and easy capture for Ospina.
Montiel goes in hard on Luis Diaz and upends him with a heavy tackle. Argentina coach Scaloni bustles over to the 4th official and has to be restrained by his assistant Pablo Aimar. He's really getting into the face of the official. Montiel is booked.
Oh, a mistake allows Di Maria to collect 40 yards out from the Colombian goal. He's away. Ospina comes charging way, way out of his area, is rounded by Di Maria, who passes square to Martinez who shoots in the area only to see it blocked on the line by Barrios who has got back well. Barrio's clearance falls back to Di Maria in space who blazes it over with a ridiculously sliced left-footer. Dear oh lor', that was a close shave for Colombia and Ospina in particular who was 30 yards from his line when Di Maria got round him.
Messi is off on a run on '75, going past one, two, three Colombians and is eventually bundled off the ball outside the box. Another booking. Free kick. Free kick Messi, the ankle of his right sock soaked in drying blood. 25 yards. Left of centre to the goal. Perfect set-up... Messi's left-footer is mid-level and bounces off the Colombian wall. Nothing doing.
15 minutes left on the clock now.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 13:14:25 GMT
MESSI WOODWORK
It's off the Colombian post on '81 as Lionel Messi fires a close-ranger following the one-two with the superb Di Maria.
Another booking as Argentina's Rodriguez molests Borja with a slider. There's no point logging all these cards as the offenders are listed above.
Oh come on now. Messi charges through the middle again, past one, past two, past three, and is then taken out with a rotter of a challenge just as he reaches the Colombian area, sending him somersaulting through the air...
...There are audible groans from the Argentina bench. Barrios is the offender this time. I can tell you that all 5 Colombian bookings have been for fouls on Messi...Eventually the free kick is ready to be played.
Or is it? The referee is having a proper set-to with the Colombian wall which is apparently refusing to stand behind the white spray line...The clock has now reached 89:30...and still the referee has to go back and have words with the wall, which has wiped away the sprayed marker so that the white line is no longer visible...
...The clock strikes 90:00 and we have seen no action for over 3 minutes...up goes the board; just 4 minutes of added time to come...Messi's shot fires directly into the head of one of the wall, sending him to the ground, and, given all the fooling around by the wall, you have to consider the possibility of Messi making that intentional...
...From that free kick, Diaz counter breaks for Colombia, streaking up the field only to be severely body-checked by Pezzella who blocks him like a steel railway buffer. Pezzella has the outrageous nerve to go down as well, clutching the whole of his face without justification...unbelievable theatrics.
It's the end of normal time on '94 and it's it's straight to a penalty shootout situation here.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 13:59:08 GMT
THE SHOOTOUT
Cuadrado for Colombia will go first. He dances on the spot for a moment before unleashing a left-footer into the goal for 1-0.
Messi is first up for Argentina. He powers it top right sending Ospina on a wild goose chase for 1-1.
Sánchez for Colombia. Slow build-up, stuttering, almost hesitant. Fires. Martinez gets down well and saves. A poor penalty, a bit like Morata's yesterday but with a little more power. But still poor, you have to say. It wasn't helped by Martinez who was clearly talking to Sanchez from the moment he stepped up to the moment he kicked.
Rodrigo de Paul now for Argentina's second penalty...He's blazed it over! Totally over! And the score remains 1-1 after two penalties each.
Mina steps up for Colombia. Martinez is at again, chatting to Mina. This is incredible, Martinez babbling away...he's drawn in Mina who says something in reply. As Mina runs up, I'm trying to work out what Martinez is repeating. It sounds to me like 'perder el gol, hermano' which means, I think, something like 'miss the goal, brother' but I could be wrong... He misses the goal. Martinez dives correctly and repels the shot with both hands. Advantage Argentina.
Paredes for Argentina now. Yes. Straight in, keeper the wrong way. 2-1 Argentina after three penalties each.
Here we go again with the mouth of Martinez who is giving Borja an earful before he has even placed the ball on the spot. But Borja fights back, shouting down Martinez until the referee intervenes...The ball is placed. Martinez continues to speak Spanish at breakneck speed and it is really hard to translate what he's saying at such speed. He's told again to pipe down, this time by the linesman. Martinez doesn't pay heed and keeps talking as Borja takes his run-up. Goal, he blasts it top centre past the keeper for 2-2.
Now it's Lautaro Martinez for Argentina. He fires high and into the top corner. "GO-O-O-O-L!" he screams. It's 3-2 to Argentina with 4 penalties each taken.
It's Cardona for Colombia. He has to score, he has to score. He's given himself a fair run-up. Can he pull it back to 3-3 and hope that Ospina can save Argentina's 5th penalty? (Yes, I know am watching a replay and already know the outcome but I am excited) Martinez doesn't say a word, he's keeping quiet this time, just moving up and down on his line...Cardona...Cardona...Cardona - he's fired it down the middle and it's parried by Martinez! The Argentina players run towards him from the halfway line - but Martinez is not celebrating. He's wearing a quizzical expression. He wants confirmation from the ref who hasn't yet signalled the save was legitimate... Wait - the ref is listening intently to his earpiece...Yes, it's confirmed. The save was good.
Argentina has won the shootout by 3 goals to 2.
The Argentina contingent celebrate in clusters as they look forward to an encounter with Brazil in Sunday's Final.
A feisty match, two good goals and one of the most quirkily entertaining shootouts you will see.
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Post by Jep Gambardella on Jul 7, 2021 14:32:37 GMT
It's Cardona for Colombia. He has to score, he has to score. He's given himself a fair run-up. Can he pull it back to 3-3 and hope that Ospina can save Argentina's 5th penalty? (Yes, I know am watching a replay and already know the outcome but I am excited) Martinez doesn't say a word, he's keeping quiet this time, just moving up and down on his line...Cardona...Cardona...Cardona - he's fired it down the middle and it's parried by Martinez! The Argentina players run towards him from the halfway line - but Martinez is not celebrating. He's wearing a quizzical expression. He wants confirmation from the ref who hasn't yet signalled the save was legitimate... Wait - the ref is listening intently to his earpiece...Yes, it's confirmed. The save was good. Argentina has won the shootout by 3 goals to 2. The Argentina contingent celebrate in clusters as they look forward to an encounter with Brazil in Sunday's Final. The final is on Saturday actually - maybe to avoid competition with the Euro final? Although they wouldn't be at the same time. The kick-off time is terrible for European audiences - 1 AM in the UK - but it's good for the Americas and for East Asia - and considering the amount of Chinese-language advertisements in the stadiums, I suppose the TV rights for China must have cost a pretty penny.
I thought it was strange that Martinez didn't celebrate right away. I would expect him to try to create a fait accompli even if he was not sure if he had jumped too early or not.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 14:38:32 GMT
The final is on Saturday actually - maybe to avoid competition with the Euro final? Although they wouldn't be at the same time. The kick-off time is terrible for European audiences - 1 AM in the UK - but it's good for the Americas and for East Asia - and considering the amount of Chinese-language advertisements in the stadiums, I suppose the TV rights for China must have cost a pretty penny.
I thought it was strange that Martinez didn't celebrate right away. I would expect him to try to create a fait accompli even if he was not sure if he had jumped too early or not. Thanks, yeah. I was excited and ahead of myself. And yes, I was expecting Martinez to run off immediately after the save and talk the corner post to death.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 7, 2021 14:40:29 GMT
I think because I've kept seeing the final announced as 01:00am on Sunday (BST)
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Post by twothousandonemark on Jul 7, 2021 16:36:50 GMT
Loved the trash talking during penalties. Whoever says soccer is boring can fack off.
This is likely Messi's last real chance at a major international trophy, & would be doubly sour if he lost to Neymar.
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Post by staggerstag on Jul 11, 2021 14:05:42 GMT
It was a good end to the tournament, I have to say.
South American odds for WC22
Brazil 11/2
Argentina 12
Colombia 66
Chile, Mexico 100
200 BAR
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