Another flop for Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in Russia: if possible, the match against Croatia goes even worse than the debut against Iceland both in terms of the game and - above all - the result, given that against Modric and his Messi didn't touch the ball and the Sampaoli national team finished the match with three goals conceded, zero points and an even greater feeling of despondency. And now the albiceleste, standings in hand, is really one step away from elimination: it will depend a lot on the outcome of Friday's match between Iceland and Nigeria. If the Europeans were to win, Argentina would be virtually out, and with any other result they would still be doomed to win their last game against Nigeria, hoping – in the event of a draw between Iceland and Nigeria – that the Nordics do not win against Croatia . An unlikely but not impossible option, given that with today's resounding 3-0 Croatia not only secured qualification for the round of XNUMX, but in all likelihood also first place in group D.
The defeat matured after an overall balanced first half, in which Croatia limited itself to controlling the situation and Argentina squandered a couple of good situations. The Slavs also create chances, but the game is in balance. In the second half, the turning point with the sensational duck by goalkeeper Caballero, who gives the 1-0 to the former Fiorentina player Ante Rebic. Sampaoli, the true architect of the Argentine disaster first with questionable call-ups, then with the upheaval of the team after the first game (today no "Italian" among the owners and a clearly defensive traction formation with little quality on the pitch), try to react by inserting Higuain first and then Dybala, but Real Madrid star Luka Modric takes the chair: Eurogol signs the 2-0 which effectively ends the game. Rounds off in the final Rakitic, who shortly before had also caught the top corner from a free kick. Argentina is therefore the first major to seriously risk elimination, and that of Russia 2018 is so far a nightmare for Lionel Messi: never as this time has he failed to leave his mark with the national team. The ghost of Maradona is increasingly cumbersome, and there may be no other opportunities for Pulga.
