A whopping 16 yellow playing cards and one crimson card was proven in a sensationally dramatic and ill-tempered quarter-final between Argentina and the Netherlands, on the finish of which the previous gained 4-3 on penalties. Argentina had a 2-0 lead, which they obtained to because of a purpose from Nahuel Molina within the first half that was made and placed on a plate by their captain Lionel Messi earlier than the latter transformed a penalty within the second half. However they squandered it within the dying phases of regular time, with the Netherlands scoring the equaliser via a cheeky free-kick routine within the final seconds of added time.
The penalty shootout after extra-time was additionally a see-saw affair, on the finish of which Argentina gained 4-3. Whereas the remainder of his teammates ran in direction of Lautaro Martinez, who had taken the profitable penalty kick, Messi might be seen operating in direction of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who had made two sensational saves at first of the shootout to place Argentina in entrance.
Tempers flared on numerous events all through the match and all of it appeared to boil over at that second in addition to Netherlands gamers might be seen clashing with the Argentinians on the different finish whereas Messi was first celebrating along with his goalkeeper, after which with the followers earlier than operating to the remainder of his teammates. The fracas ended with Netherlands’ Denzel Dumfries being proven a crimson card.
The primary actual flare-up within the match got here within the 89th minute of regulation time when Argentian the place 2-1 forward. It occurred when Argentina’s Leandro Paredes slided in dangerously for a deal with on Nathan Ake close to the Netherlands dugout. He then proceeded to kick the ball into the dugout, resulting in to the Dutch bench pouring out and charging in direction of him.
Netherlands captain Virgil Van Dijk additionally slammed into Paredes within the ensuing chaos, resulting in the Paris St Germain midfielder being thrown to the bottom. There was then a coming collectively between the 2 sides after that just about each time the referee blew the whistle for full time or the tip every half of extra-time.