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Just two victories is all it will take to lift the World Cup title. Either of Argentina or Croatia can book their places in the final which seemed like an unlikely proposition after the start of the World Cup as the two meet in the semi-final on Tuesday. Argentina have recovered from a shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia, while Croatia are establishing themselves as one of the most consistent teams in the world.
Both teams needed penalty wins to get here, so while they are hopeful if matches will go to extra time, the hope is that they won’t need another 120 minutes of football to progress to the next round. Lionel Messi is pushing to achieve the only trophy he doesn’t already ownand this year Lionel Scaloni and Argentina have done it the supporting cast to help him do that. But getting in the way is Luka Modric and a Croatian team that won’t give up easily.
Here are our storylines, how to watch the game, and more:
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How to watch and probabilities
- Date: Tuesday 13 December | Time: 2:00 PM ET
- Position: Lusail Ionic Stadium — Lusail, Qatar
- TV: FOX | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
- Chance: Argentina -128; Fishing +285; Croatia +375 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured game | Argentina vs Croatia
Team news
Argentina: Lionel Scaloni will have to replace Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel, both suspended for accumulation of yellow cards. Acuna has started four of Argentina’s five games at left-back, but Nicolas Tagliafico is likely to replace him. A good passer, Tagliafico can bring a dynamic presence to Argentina’s attack. Also boosted by the return of Angel Di Maria, who only managed to return at the end of the match against the Netherlands. It will all depend on Messi pulling the strings, but if he can’t add to his four goals and two assists, Argentina have other players who can make Croatia pay.
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Croatia: Dominik Livankovic and Dejan Lovern have fended off anything that has come their way in defence, but with a midfield led by Luka Modric, most of the sting has been taken out of attack when it comes to defence. It will be difficult for Argentina to contain Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic. But if Croatia’s attack has no free space, it won’t matter. This is where Ivan Perisic comes into play. The 33-year-old was instrumental in setting up the forwards and gaining possession in the third striker. If he manages to break Argentina’s backline, there will be a good chance to win the game.
Prediction
There will be chances for both teams during the match, but the defenses are too good to allow clear shots before tired legs set in to extra time. Ultimately a mistake will lead to Argentina’s victory. Choose: Argentina 1, Croatia 0 (after extra time)
