Two of the World Cup’s biggest surprises will go head-to-head in the first semi-final, as Croatia take on Argentina. Both teams have exceeded expectations so far in Russia, with Croatia topping Group D before knocking out Denmark and Russia in the knockout stages. Argentina, meanwhile, scraped through their group with a win and two draws before edging past France in a thrilling last-16 clash.
The World Cup semi-final between Croatia and Argentina promises to be a classic encounter. Both teams have shown great form in the tournament so far, and will be looking to take one step closer to glory.
Team news: Croatia are expected to name an unchanged lineup from their quarter-final victory over Russia.
That means Mario Mandzukic will once again lead the line, with support from Ante Rebic and Ivan Perisic out wide. In midfield, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic will look to control proceedings, while Dejan Lovren and Domagoj Vida should start at centre-back.
As for Argentina, they too are likely to stick with the same XI that beat Belgium in the last round.
Lionel Messi will once again be the focal point of their attack, with Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain providing support. In midfield, Javier Mascherano will anchor things whilst Ever Banega looks to pull the strings. At the back, Nicolas Otamendi and Marcos Rojo should start in central defence ahead of Pablo Zabaleta on the right side.
Prediction: This is a tough one to call but Croatia just have that bit more quality in their squad overall. They also have a fantastic understanding of how they want to play as a team under manager Zlatko Dalic. As such, we think they’ll just edge it in a close contest.
Argentina vs Croatia Preview & Prediction | Semi-finals FIFA WORLD CUP 2022
Argentina Vs Croatia
Argentina and Croatia are two of the most successful teams in international football, but there is no love lost between them. The countries have a long-standing rivalry that dates back to the early days of the sport.
Croatia’s success in recent years has been built on the back of their world-class midfielders, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic.
They are two of the best players in the world and have inspired their team to some memorable victories.
Argentina, on the other hand, are led by Lionel Messi – arguably the greatest footballer of all time. Messi has won everything there is to win at club level with Barcelona, but he is yet to taste success with his country.
The two teams last met in 2014, when Argentina won 2-1 thanks to goals from Messi and Sergio Aguero. It was a close game, but Croatia will be looking for revenge when they meet again at this summer’s World Cup.
France Vs Morocco Prediction
It’s the second game of Group C at the 2018 World Cup, and it sees France take on Morocco. Didier Deschamps’ side are looking to build on their opening win against Australia, while Morocco will be hoping to get off the mark after losing 1-0 to Iran. So what can we expect from this encounter?
France should have too much for Morocco
On paper, France look like they should have more than enough to see off Morocco. They boast an array of world-class talent in their squad, including the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba.
They also have a wealth of experience in their ranks, with several members of their squad having won the World Cup before.
However, that doesn’t mean that France will have it all their own way against Morocco. The Africans showed against Iran that they are not to be underestimated, and they will no doubt make life difficult for Les Bleus.
However, France should ultimately have too much quality for Morocco and I expect them to come out on top in this one.
France Vs Morocco Prediction Sports Mole
In sports, a prediction is an educated guess about the outcome of a future event. In France vs Morocco, we are looking at two national teams who are set to face off in an international friendly match. The question is, who will come out on top?
France:
The French team has been in good form as of late, winning four out of their last five matches. This includes victories over Bulgaria and Moldova in their most recent World Cup qualifiers.
However, they did lose to Finland in between those wins. Nonetheless, with stars like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann leading the charge, France will be confident going into this match.
Morocco:
As for Morocco, they have not been in the best of form lately. They have lost three out of their last five matches and only managed to pick up one win during that time frame. That lone victory came against Burkina Faso back in October 2020.
Additionally, Morocco failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup after finishing third in their group behind Senegal and South Africa. Nevertheless, they will be hoping to put up a good performance against France as they continue to prepare for the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers which begin next month.
It is difficult to say who will come out on top in this matchup as both teams have had mixed results lately.
However, given France’s strong showing in their most recent games and Morocco’s struggles, it seems like the French team has a better chance of winning this match.
Argentina Vs Croatia Prediction
The Argentina vs Croatia game is happening on June 21st at 2:00pm. This will be the first time these two teams play each other in a competitive match. So far, in their last five games, Argentina has won four and drawn one.
On the other hand, Croatia has won three, drawn one and lost one. Judging by these records, it seems like Argentina has a higher chance of winning this upcoming game.
In addition, Lionel Messi will be playing for Argentina while Luka Modric will be playing for Croatia.
These are two world-class players that have led their teams to numerous successes. With Messi on the team, Argentina is definitely a force to be reckoned with. However, Croatia should not be underestimated either because of Modric’s talent.
It is difficult to make a prediction for this game since it will be the first time these teams face each other in a competitive match. However, based on recent records and the star players on each team, it seems like Argentina has a higher chance of winning than Croatia.
Croatia Vs Argentina Head to Head
Since both Croatia and Argentina are fairly new to the international football scene, their head-to-head record is unsurprisingly short. The two teams have only played each other four times since their first meeting in 1996. However, those four games have been packed with drama and excitement.
Let’s take a look at the results of each match:
1996 – Croatia 2-1 Argentina
This was the first ever meeting between the two sides, and it took place in France during Euro 96.
Croatia were coming off the back of an impressive showing at the 1994 World Cup, where they finished third. Argentina, on the other hand, had failed to make it past the quarter-finals of that tournament.
The game itself was a tight affair, with neither side able to gain a real foothold in proceedings.
In the end, it was Croatia who emerged victorious courtesy of goals from Davor Šuker and Zvonimir Boban. Diego Simeone scored a late consolation for Argentina, but it wasn’t enough to prevent defeat.
1998 – Croatia 0-0 Argentina (Argentina win 4-3 on penalties)
The two sides met again two years later at the World Cup in France. This time around, both teams were more evenly matched and neither was able to find a way past the other in regulation time. The game went to penalties, where Argentine keeper Carlos Roa proved to be the hero as he saved three spot kicks to help his team progress to the next round.
Argentina Vs Croatia 2014
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was held in Brazil from June 12 to July 13, with a total of 64 matches played. Argentina and Croatia were drawn into Group A, alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nigeria. This article will provide a detailed analysis of the two teams’ performances at the tournament.
Argentina had a very strong showing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, finishing first in their group with nine points and only conceding one goal. In the Round of 16, they defeated Switzerland 1-0 thanks to an Angel Di Maria goal in extra time. They then went on to beat Belgium 1-0 in the quarter-finals, again thanks to a goal from Di Maria.
Argentina’s semi-final match against Netherlands went to penalties after a 0-0 draw, with Argentina eventually winning 4-2 on spot kicks. However, they were unable to repeat this success in the final, as they lost 1-0 to Germany after Mario Gotze scored a late winner for the Germans.
Croatia also had a good showing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, finishing second in their group with six points.
They narrowly defeated Cameroon 2-1 in their opening match before losing 3-1 to hosts Brazil in their second match. Croatia bounced back with a 4-0 victory over Mexico in their final group stage match, which ensured their passage to the Round of 16 where they faced Spain. Unfortunately for Croatia, they were no match for Spain and lost 2-1 after Diego Costa scored twice for the Spaniards.
Argentina Vs Croatia 2018
In the early hours of Thursday morning, Argentina and Croatia will face off in what is sure to be an exciting match. This will be the first time these two teams have met since the 2014 World Cup, when Croatia won 3-2.
Both teams come into this match with a lot to prove.
For Argentina, they are looking to get back on track after a disappointing showing at the 2016 Copa America Centenario. They will also be without their star player Lionel Messi, who is suspended for this match. Messi’s absence will no doubt be felt by Argentina, but they have enough talent on their roster to make up for it.
Croatia, on the other hand, are looking to build on their strong performance at Euro 2016 where they finished 2nd place. They will also be without their star player Luka Modric, who is suspended for this match. While Modric’s absence will hurt Croatia, they still have a very talented squad that can get the job done.
This should be a great match between two evenly matched teams. It’s hard to say who has the advantage going into this one, but it should be a close game either way. Be sure to tune in early Thursday morning to catch all the action!
When is Next World Cup
The next World Cup will take place in Qatar in 2022. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who is Predicted to Win Argentina Or Croatia?
The two nations have met each other four times in the past, with Argentina winning three games and Croatia one. In their most recent meeting in 2014, Argentina won 2-1. So based on history and current form, it would appear that Argentina are more likely to win this World Cup match-up.
Who are the Semi Finalists for the World Cup?
The 32 semi-finalists for the World Cup have been decided. They are:
Africa: Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Europe: Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy Netherlands Portugal Russia Spain Switzerland Uruguay
North and Central America and Caribbean: Costa Rica Honduras Mexico United States
South America: Argentina Chile Colombia Ecuador Paraguay Peru Uruguay Venezuela
The first round of matches will be played on June 12th between Uruguay and Costa Rica followed by Brazil against Chile. On June 13th it will be Mexico versus Cameroon then Holland take on Slovakia.
The final two first round games will see New Zealand play against Paraguay on June 14th before reigning champions Italy face off against England on June 15th.
Conclusion
This World Cup semi-final will see Croatia take on Argentina. Here’s a look at the team news, lineups and prediction for the game.
Croatia have been one of the surprise packages at this World Cup, reaching the semi-finals for the first time in their history.
They’ve done so by playing some excellent football, with Luka Modric pulling the strings in midfield.
Argentina, meanwhile, have had a much more difficult route to the last four. They needed a dramatic late goal from Marcos Rojo to get past Switzerland in the round of 16, before being taken to penalties by Denmark in the quarter-finals.
Looking at the team news, Croatia are likely to stick with the same side that beat Russia in their quarter-final clash. That means Danijel Subasic will start in goal, with Sime Vrsaljko and Dejan Lovren either side of Domagoj Vida in defence. Ivan Strinic is also an option at left-back if Zlatko Dalic decides to make a change there.
In midfield, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic will once again be tasked with providing creativity and energy, while Mateo Kovacic is likely to keep his place ahead of Marcelo Brozovic as well. upfront, Mario Mandzukic is expected to lead the line for Croatia with Ante Rebic and Ivan Perisic supporting him from wide positions. As for Argentina,…