Messi, Álvarez lift Argentina into final
Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time. And, at 35, he could hardly be playing any better.
Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez, leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday in Lusail, Qatar, that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match.
It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament. It could yet be the perfect way to go out for a man widely regarded as one of the game’s best players, if not the best.
“A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. We’re going to the final, which is what we wanted.”
Messi is thrilling his legion of fans along the way, with his swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute epitomizing his confidence and swagger. He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar.
Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a fiveminute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium.
Yet there was a moment midway through the first half that must have struck fear into all Argentines, when Messi appeared to clutch his left hamstring and rub it. Was he going to have to come off ? No such luck for Croatia.
Messi soon was toying with his opponents by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past Croatia’s goalkeeper.
Álvarez poked home his first goal at the end of a surging run from halfway, starting with Messi’s short pass. He put in the third following more outrageous skill from his teammate near the right corner.
It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — likely has played his final World Cup match.
Morocco-France: Morocco, Africa’s first World Cup semifinalist, is playing defending champion France and striker Kylian Mbappé on Wednesday in Doha. It’s more than a match for a spot in the World Cup final.
There are cultural and political connotations — Morocco was under French rule from 1912 through 1956.
Morocco has exceeded all expectations in Qatar by beating second-ranked Belgium in the group stage and then eliminating European powerhouses Spain and Portugal in the knockout phase to reach the semifinals. It is one of the biggest stories in the World Cup’s 92-year history.
“I was asked if we can win the World Cup and I said, ‘Why not? We can dream. It doesn’t cost you anything to have dreams,’ ” said Walid Regragui, Morocco’s French-born coach. “Anyone playing us is going to be afraid of us now.”
Even France? The defending champs passed their own big test in a quarterfinal against England, on a rare occasion when Mbappé was kept quiet.
No player has scored more than his five goals and it won’t be easy for Mbappé to add to that tally against Morocco, which has yet to concede a goal to an opposition player at this World Cup. The only goal allowed was an own-goal by defender Nayef Aguerd against Canada in the group stage.