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Argentina are bidding to win a third World Cup title at the November 20-December 18 tournament in
Qatar.
Here is what you need to know about their route to the final:
HOW DID ARGENTINA QUALIFY FOR THE ROUND OF 16?* The top two in each World Cup group advance to the last 16. The knockout rounds, which began on Dec. 3, feature one-off matches, which can go to extra time and penalties to decide the winners.
* Argentina recovered from their shock defeat to
Saudi Arabia with back-to-back wins over Mexico and Poland to finish as winners of Group C.
HOW DID ARGENTINA REACH THE QUARTER-FINALS?
* Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez scored in Argentina’s 2-1 win over Australia in their Round of 16 tie.
HOW DID ARGENTINA REACH THE SEMI-FINALS?
* Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout in their quarter-final tie, after Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi’s goals were cancelled out by a brace from Dutch substitute Wout Weghorst.
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Argentina beat Netherlands on penalties to reach FIFA World Cup semis
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<p>Argentina beat Netherlands on penalties to reach FIFA World Cup semis</p>
<p>Argentina set up a semi-final showdown with Croatia after beating the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties following a thrilling 2-2 extra-time draw in a World Cup quarter-final classic.</p>
<p>Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero in the shootout after Argentina squandered a Lionel Messi-engineered two-goal lead in the final minutes of normal time. (Getty Images)</p>
<p>Dutch substitute Wout Weghorst scored two late goals as the Netherlands fought back with seven minutes of normal time remaining to force extra-time.</p>
<p>Argentina looked poised for the last four after Messi conjured up a brilliant assist for Nahuel Molina and a clinical goal from the penalty spot.</p>
<p>For the Dutch it was a bitterly disappointing end to their tournament and they have now lost six of their last eight shoot-outs in major championships since 1992.</p>
<p>After a cagey start, Messi produced a moment of inspiration, ten minutes before the interval, to create the opener for his team.</p>
<p>The Argentines extended their lead in the 73rd minute after Denzel Dumfries tripped Marcos Acuna in the box and Messi made no mistake from the spot, burying the ball in the corner.</p>
<p>The Dutch pulled a goal back, seven minutes from the end, with an angled glancing header from Weghorst from a Berghuis cross from deep.</p>
<p>In the penalties, Martinez saved from Van Dijk and Berghuis to help Argentina into a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p>This time there was no way back for the Dutch as, even despite a miss from Fernandez, Argentina held on to win the shoot-out and head into the semi-finals.</p>
WHO ARE ARGENTINA’S OPPONENTS IN THE SEMI-FINALS?
* Argentina will face Croatia in the semi-finals, after the 2018 finalists beat favourites Brazil on penalties.
WHO COULD ARGENTINA FACE IN THE FINAL?
* If Argentina go all the way to the final, they could potentially find themselves taking on either 2018 champions France (Group D winners), England (Group B winners), Portugal (Group H winners) or Morocco (Group F winners).
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