2018 FIFA World Cup runners-up Croatia will tonight face Argentina in the first semi final clash of this year’s tournament.
The South Americans will be looking to reach the final for the first time in eight years, while the Croatians want to make it two in a row.
Competition: 2022 FIFA World Cup Semifinal 1.
Date, Kick-off Time & Venue: 13 December 2022, 9 pm CAT at Lusail Iconic Stadium, Doha.
Argentina Team News:
Full-backs Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna will miss the game due to yellow card suspension.
Alejandro Gomez is pushing to be available as he steps up his recovery from an ankle sprain, while Rodrigo De Paul and Angel Di Maria – who have both been nursing problems of their own – will expect to be fit to start the semi-final
Argentina Predicted XI:
E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Fernandez, De Paul, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez.
Croatia Team News:
Zlatko Dalic is expected to have a fully fit and available squad to select from.
Croatia Predicted XI:
Livakovic; Juranovic, Gvardiol, Lovren, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic.
What The Coaches Said:
Croatia’s Zlatko Dalic: “We are playing the great Argentina — a terrific team led by Lionel Messi. They are highly motivated, but they’re under greater pressure than Croatia at this particular moment in time. We have analysed our opponent. We know how they play. We know where they want to take the game, and we’re preparing for them.”
Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni: “We expect a tough match and it is against a really good team. They are a proper team and they play as a team. They are going to make things challenging for us. They have a specific playing style. I don’t think they are going to change that. It is neither defensive nor attacking.”
Road To The Semis:
Argentina
–Lost Argentina 2-1 vs Saudi Arabia
-Beat Mexico 2-0
-Beat Poland 2-0
-Beat Australia 2-1
-Beat Netherlands 3-2 on penalties
Croatia
–Drew 0-0 with Morocco
-Beat Canada 4-1
-Drew 0-0 with Belgium
-Beat Japan 3-1 on penalties
-Beat Brazil 4-2 on penalties
Argentina Form Guide:
At World Cup: LWWWW
In all competitions: WLWWWW
Croatia Form Guide:
At World Cup: DWDWW
In all competitions: LDWDWW
Head to Head Stats:
Argentina: 2W 1D 2L
Croatia: 2W 1D 2L
TV Info:
ZBC TV (Zimbabwe)
State broadcaster ZBC TV will bring a live coverage of selected games. Other matches will be shown as delayed.
SABC (South Africa)
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will broadcast the games live.
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will broadcast the games live.
SABC Sport Channel will be the primary broadcast platform for the live presentation of the matches, with SABC 1, SABC 2 and SABC 3 also carrying the games live simultaneously.
DStv SuperSport TV
(Entire Sub Saharan Africa).
