When is the game played?

The semi-final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played between Argentina and Croatia on Tuesday night at 8:00 PM. Sunday’s final will be played at Lusail Stadium, north of Doha.

What has happened so far?

The finals in Qatar did not get off to a good start for Argentina. In the first game, the South Americans lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia – but that was it so far. Thanks to victories against Mexico and Poland, the “Albiceleste” still topped the preliminary round. They beat Australia (2-1) in the round of 16, and Lionel Messi and Co won the quarter-finals against the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties.

Final form

Croatia finished the group stage in second place behind semi-finalists Morocco. Despite goalless draws against Belgium and North Africa, a 4-1 win over Canada was enough for Luka Modric and his team to advance.

Even in the knockout stages, the Croatians remained minimalistic but triumphant. A 3-1 shootout win over Japan and a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Brazil. Notable: In the quarter-finals, Croatia had five shots on goal for the Selecao: all of them – just one in 120 minutes, and four penalties.

Facts about the game

• Croatia draw record: The Croatians have drawn 4 out of 5 games in this World Cup, and a win against Canada after 90 minutes was enough to qualify for the semi-finals. The draws are the record set for a global tournament, with only Germany (1978) and Ireland (1990) holding the record.
• Promise Series: This is the fifth World Cup semi-final for Argentina – and the South Americans won the previous four. The “Albiceleste” won 6-1 against the USA in 1930, 2-0 against Belgium in 1986, Italy in 1990 and the Netherlands in 2014 after each on penalties. It was only in 1986 that the South Americans were able to lift the World Cup. Before the first title was won in 1978, the semifinals were replaced by the final round.
• Argentine Lust for Revenge: Argentina and Croatia will meet for the sixth time. The South Americans in particular will have bad memories of their last international match so far: at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where the Croatians shut them out 3-0 in the group stage. Unlike then, when both teams advanced later, there would be only one winner in Lucille.

Possible final competitors

Defending champions France or Morocco await the winner of the first semi-final in the World Cup final. The final will be played on Sunday 18th December at 4:00pm, with the minor final played a day earlier at the same time.