Argentina boss Scaloni 'not planning for penalties' against Netherlands
If Argentina are to win a third World Cup, with Lionel Messi and his teammates seeking their first, they must first overcome a nation that is equally hungry, in the form of Netherlands, in the quarter-finals.
The Dutch have been runners-up at a World Cup three times, most recently in 2010 before they were eliminated by Argentina on penalties in the 2014 semi-finals – then failed to qualify in 2018.
Netherlands, with Louis van Gaal in his third spell in charge, topped their group in Qatar before beating USA in the last 16, while Argentina also topped their pool before defeating Australia.
The winners here will face Croatia in the semi-finals, after the 2018 finalists beat Brazil on penalties.
Follow all the action with our live blog below:
ET Netherlands 2-2 Argentina
96 mins: The Netherlands are allowing Argentina to control possession but the South Americas aren’t doing much with the ball. They’re knocking it around the ball with the odd short pass into midfield.
ET Netherlands 2-2 Argentina
93 mins: Argentina will look to get on the ball again now. They had stopped trying to get it forward towards the end of the 90 and the Netherlands picked them apart.
Paredes collides with Frenkie de Jong in the middle of the pitch and brings down the Dutch midfielder.
ET Netherlands 2-2 Argentina
The Netherlands have got back into this game and this tournament by kicking it long and bullying defenders with big forwards. That’s a crazy tactic and it’s paid off handsomely for Louis van Gaal.
Extra-time kicks off. There’s been 12 yellow cards in this match, it’s been terrible refereeing. The officials have hardly kept control of the players.
Extra-time: Netherlands 2-2 Argentina
The momentum is fully with the Netherlands now. They’ve got to continue playing this long ball method as Argentina haven’t been able to handle it.
Argentina looked dead on their feet towards the end and now have to start again. 30 minutes to play at least.
Full-time: Netherlands 2-2 Argentina
90+12 mins: Extra-time it is. Wout Weghorst is a Dutch hero right now. Can the Netherlands go on to win this game now?
GOAL! Netherlands 2-2 Argentina (Weghorst, 90+11’)⚽️
90+11 mins: The Netherlands win a free kick next to the ‘D’ once again. This may well be the final action of the match. Cody Gakpo and Teun Koopmeiners are the men standing over the set piece.
Koopmeiners slides a soft pass into the box where Wout Weghorst controls it and sweeps a left-footed shot into the bottom corner!
Incredible scenes! The Netherlands are taking the game to extra-time!
Netherlands 1-2 Argentina
90+9 mins: Argentina are spent. They’re offering nothing in terms off attacking football and are just holding on to their lead, doing their best to break up play and defend the long balls up the pitch.
Just a couple of minutes left in the game, unless the Netherlands score.
Netherlands 1-2 Argentina
90+6 mins: The Netherlands flood the box with their tall men. Three of them surround Nicolas Otamendi but the defender wins the ball in the air as the cross comes in before nodding it clear and eventually being fouled.
Netherlands 1-2 Argentina
90+3 mins: The Netherlands free kick is positioned perfectly for Cody Gakpo just in the tip of the ‘D’, Steven Berghuis is stood over the ball too and he hits it drilling his effort into the Argentina wall.
Netherlands 1-2 Argentina
90 mins: There’s going to be 10 minutes of added time to play! Cody Gakpo is fouled on the edge of the box as Argentina fail to deal with the long ball again.
The South American side are just losing control of the game.
