December 9, 2022 World Cup news and highlights

This captivating face-off finally has a winner: Argentina is triumphant over the Netherlands after a penalty shootout.

The two sides were locked in a 2-2 tie at the end of extra time, following a match that produced constant drama, including on-field scuffles, more than a dozen bookings and a near-miraculous late equalizer from the Dutch.

In the end, Argentina scored four times in the shootout to the Netherlands' three.

In what is widely expected to be Lionel Messi's final World Cup, La Selección advances to a clash with Croatia in the semifinals.

The 35-year-old superstar had a hand in both of his side's goals during regulation, with an assist on one and scoring the other on a penalty kick.

Of course, even extra time wasn't enough to separate these two teams in a hotly contested matchup.

Argentina and the Netherlands head to a penalty shootout locked in a 2-2 tie.

How it works: Each team is given the chance to take five penalty kicks, and whoever scores the most, wins. We're updating the result of each shot here.

⚽️ means goal

❌ means save

Argentina

Kick 1: ⚽️

Kick 2: ⚽️

Kick 3: ⚽️

Kick 4: ❌

Kick 5: ⚽️

---

The Netherlands

Kick 1: ❌

Kick 2: ❌

Kick 3: ⚽️

Kick 4: ⚽️

Kick 5: ⚽️

We're back with the first period of extra time.

There's no love lost between these two sides: The benches cleared again at the end of regulation, with more pushing, shoving and unfriendly words.

There were 13 yellow cards issued during regulation – 11 for players and two for coaches.

When the Netherlands won a free kick on the edge of Argentina's box with literally seconds left to play, almost everyone expected a shot on goal.

Teun Koopmeiners and Cody Gakpo stood over the ball with the former shaping up to shoot.

But instead of unleashing an effort over the wall, Koopmeiners slipped a ball into Wout Weghorst who held off a defender to poke the ball home.

It was a remarkable passage of play that caught everyone by surprise, even some of their own teammates.

Such innovation rarely pays off in soccer, let alone in a World Cup quarterfinal.

In a stunning conclusion to added time, Wout Weghorst tied the match for the Netherlands off a free kick right outside the penalty box.

The teams must now play 30 minutes of extra time.

The benches briefly cleared late in what has been a tense match with several yellow cards for both sides.

After committing a foul on a slide tackle, Argentina's Leandro Paredes kicked the ball off the pitch and into the area of the Netherlands' bench, quickly bringing the Dutch players out to meet him.

Players from both sides pushed and shoved in a scrum before the referee restored order.

When the dust settled, Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk received a yellow card for delivering a hard bump that sent Paredes flying.

Paredes and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni also received yellow cards.

Wout Weghorst heads the ball into the back of the net to score a goal for the Dutch in the 83rd minute.

Argentina 2-1 Netherlands

Lionel Messi took a penalty kick and converted it into a second goal for Argentina, doubling its lead over the Dutch.

It's the soccer star's 10th goal for Argentina in the World Cup — a tie as the country's top goalscorer in the competition with Gabriel Batistuta – and 95th overall for his country.

Argentina 2- 0 Netherlands.

It's time for the second half in the quarterfinal face-off between Argentina and the Netherlands.

Lionel Messi's side has the 1-0 advantage, and the Dutch have work to do if they want to pull off an upset. Let's go!