Argentina vs Croatia: Five things we learned
Every World Cup has its fair share of shocks and upsets, and certainly the clash between Argentina and Croatia on Thursday is one of them. Already, we’ve seen Mexico beat reigning champs Germany, Switzerland manage a draw with tournament heavyweights Brazil, Japan beat a very talented Colombia side, and debutants Iceland hold 2014 finalists Argentina to a stalemate.
La Albiceleste headed into their clash with the Vatreni knowing that they needed to step up in order to revive not just their chances at sealing a spot in the round of 16, but their tournament as a whole. Meanwhile, Croatia were brimming with confidence after a 2-0 win over Nigeria. It wasn’t the most convincing performance from Zlatko Dalic’s side, but it was enough to earn three points and keep them on top of the table.
By the time the dust settled on matchday two, one team had booked their ticket into the first knockout rounds. Another, by contrast, are now seeing their World Cup dreams hanging by a very fragile thread.
Here are five observations from Argentina’s tie against Croatia.
1. All the signs of trouble were there for Argentina…before the World Cup
For starters, despite boasting five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, rising star Paulo Dybala, Manchester City ace Sergio Aguero, and PSG star Angel Di Maria in their ranks, Argentina had a torrid time during qualifiers. In fact, they were nearly knocked out due to a series of poor showings during the earlier stages, and needed a Messi hat-trick against Ecuador on the final matchday to seal their spot in Russia.
Their results in friendlies weren’t encouraging, either. Although they beat an Italy side still rebuilding, and predictably crushed minnows Haiti, their 6-1 drubbing by Spain was a major cause of concern. They also lost 4-2 to Nigeria, a team they have consistently beaten in the past, and now will have to face the Super Eagles in real life on the final matchday. A win against Nigeria won’t necessarily be enough, either, making an early exit disturbingly likely.
2. Croatia finally living up to “dark horses” tag
Croatia didn’t impress during qualifiers, as they were expected to top their group. They didn’t, and were pipped to top spot by, yes, you guessed it – Iceland. Still, the Vatreni underwent a managerial change, firing Ante Cacic in lieu of Zlatko Dalic, and it has started to pay dividends. Croatia weren’t at their very best against Nigeria, but earned a hard-fought 2-0 win.
But no one could have seen how the Vatreni would turn up the heat against Argentina. Yes, La Albiceleste were quite poor, but that shouldn’t detract from a strong team performance. The last time Croatia won two games in a row, they made a deep run – all the way to third place. Could this be their tournament, 20 years after that great performance? It’s too early to say, but so far, they’re definitely looking like serious contenders to be a major dark horse this summer.
3. It’s simply too much for Lionel Messi to bear
His body language said it all. Despite his exploits with Barcelona, despite being deservedly rated as the top player of this generation, despite all the plaudits that have been heaped upon the 31-year-old over the years, Lionel Messi appeared to be very uncomfortable and unsettled when lining up to sing the team’s national anthem.
Remember, Messi quit the national side after their heartbreaking defeat in the 2016 Copa America. That was the third straight final he had featured in, and the third straight time he had to settle for a runners’ up medal. The Barcelona star also missed a penalty during the shoot-out with Chile, showing that even the finest players can crack under very difficult situations.
This World Cup was supposed to be his redeeming grace, but to be honest, the pressure and expectations of an entire nation seem to have pushed him almost to the breaking point. He failed to convert his spot-kick against Iceland which would have given Argentina the lead, and against Croatia, he was very subdued – to the point he had just 20, yes, 20, touches of the ball in the first half. And his night didn’t get any better as Croatia came roaring back in the second period, scoring three times sans reply to leave Argentina on the brink of elimination.
4. Luka Modric is vastly underrated
Shockingly, in his early years with Real Madrid, there were some fans who actually viewed the ex-Tottenham as the worst signing. It’s a safe bet that those same short-sighted fans will be keeping their mouths shut these days, as the 32-year-old has been a vital part of the team’s three Champions League wins, among others.
Modric has been simply outstanding so far this summer, as Croatia have won back to back games for the first time since 1998. His coolly converted penalty secured a vital win for his side against Nigeria, and his brilliant long-range strike versus Argentina effectively broke the spirit of an already floundering opponent. Along with Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic, he keeps things ticking in the middle of the park, and has been his team’s shining star so far over 180 minutes. If he can keep this up, who knows how far Croatia can go this summer in Russia?
5. Jorge Sampaoli’s tactical naivete is glaringly apparent
For starters, leaving Mauro Icardi out of the squad entirely is just shocking, to say the least. There are persistent rumors that Messi is behind the Inter star’s snub due to some off the pitch drama involving Messi’s friend Maxi Lopez, but this hasn’t been confirmed. Whatever the case, Sampaoli has gotten his tactics all wrong with the men he has at his disposal. Why was Angel Di Maria left on the bench for the Croatia tie, for instance? And why has Paulo Dybala been restricted to a reduced role, failing to appear vs Iceland and coming on as a sub against Croatia? Meanwhile, the defense was largely overrun by Croatia’s attacks as he again opted for a three-man back-line as opposed to the four-man unit he used against Iceland.
There will be lots of questions asked of Argentina and their manager, but one thing is clear: They dropped the ball, and will have plenty to answer for on that likely early flight back to Buenos Aires.
