Argentina 0-3 Croatia: match report
Argentina fell apart after a Willy Caballero mistake that let Ante Rebic in for a goal before Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic sealed the win for Croatia.
Argentina’s World Cups hang by a fraying thread after being thumped by Croatia in a Group D showdown that was billed as a game where Jorge Sampaoli’s side had to show their credentials. From the start, they looked like a confused, nervous side with no cohesion and even fewer ambitions after the final whistle.
The opening half was a rollercoaster adventure with foul play more frequent than the flowing football many expected when Sampaoli took over the Argentinian side. Ante Rebic for Croatia was throwing his weight around and was lucky not to be sent off but Lionel Messi wasn’t. He touched the ball less than Willy Caballero in the first 45 in a system that didn’t seem to exentuate his qualities.
It was Rebic who got Croatia off the mark when a routine clearance was fluffed by Caballero as he tried to chip it over the attacker. The burly Rebic turned a struck a beauty past the keeper and a dagger to the heart of Argentina’s chances.
It got worse from there as Sampaoli threw on Higuain but little changed. Croatia were looking increasingly dangerous on the break and Luka Modric struck on 80 to make it an even more bleak last 10 minutes. His curler into the bottom corner a expression of the game as he twisted and turned before striking beyond the reach of Caballero, who was at full stretch. This was Croatia in total control of an Argentina team who were gassed and never going to get where they needed to with how they were set up.
Ivan Rakitic, who was impeccable on the night and who had hit the crossbar from a free earlier after a nasty kick on the ground from Otamendi, really piled the insult on top of the injury. Kovacic squared him the ball and he rolled it home to make it 3-0 as time expired.
Messi and Argentina have Nigeria left and can still qualify but you have to wonder if it’s even worth it for them if they stand a chance of being embarrassed again in the knock-out stage. Croatia took what Argentina had to throw at them and hurled it back in abundance and with two wins in two can look forward to the last 16 with confidence.
