5:08 p.m. ET, December 9, 2022
Argentina beats the Netherlands in penalty shootout to cap instant classic
Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria celebrate after a win against the Netherlands.
(Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters)
This captivating face-off
finally has a winner: Argentina is triumphant over the Netherlands after a penalty shootout.
The two sides were locked in a 2-2 tie at the end of extra time, following a match that produced constant drama, including on-field scuffles, more than a dozen bookings and a near-miraculous late equalizer from the Dutch.
In the end, Argentina scored four times in the shootout to the Netherlands' three.
In what is widely expected to be Lionel Messi's final World Cup, La Selección advances to a clash with Croatia in the semifinals.
The 35-year-old superstar had a hand in both of his side's goals during regulation, with an assist on one and scoring the other on a penalty kick.