Croatia vs. Argentina (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 10 p.m.)
For the second World Cup in a row, Croatia has managed to make an improbable run to the semifinals. Just like in 2018, they find themselves underdogs to one of the powerhouses of world soccer.
Argentina barely survived against the Netherlands. They led 2-0 in the second half but allowed the Dutch to get back into the game. Eventually, Argentina advanced on penalty kicks, keeping Lionel Messi’s dream of a World Cup trophy alive.
Argentina Survives Thriller to Get to Semis
Following their opening loss against Saudi Arabia, Argentina righted the ship, pulling off three consecutive wins and outscoring their opponents 6-1. Against the Netherlands, they looked destined to cruise to the semifinals with another easy victory. However, after going up 2-0, the Argentinians began to play sloppy soccer and allowed the Dutch to force extra time and eventually penalties.
Argentina ultimately advanced, but it was not without a cost. Due to a record 18 yellow cards being shown in their match against the Netherlands, Argentina will be without both Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel. This will cause a problem for the Argentinian defense as they look to slow down a pesky Croatia side.
Croatia Continues to Find a Way
Dating back to 2018, seven of the last nine Croatia games have been tied at the end of 90 minutes. For those contests that did not take place in the Group Stage, Croatia has gone on to win in either extra time or penalties every single time.
Taking down Brazil was a stunner, and now the Croatians have the chance to end Messi’s World Cup career and advance to the finals for a possible 2018 rematch with France. No team is too talented for Croatia, and so far, no moment has proven to be too big.
Despite their experience from 2018, the Croatians are still underdogs. Yet, with Argentina missing two defenders, and with all the pressure in the world on that side, look for Croatia to use their experience to at least push this game into extra time. And if you are looking for real value, you can get Croatia to advance at better than 2-to-1 odds.
Pick: Double Chance: Tie or Croatia +105 | DraftKings Sportsbook
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