Match Highlights: Messi's Argentina bows down against resilient Croatia

Argentina chances of qualifying the knockouts are less with a bad goal difference

BS Web Team 

Croatia vs Argentina
Croatia vs Argentina
Argentina just played one of the worst games in their recent history as Croatia goes to the knock-out stages with a hammering 3-0 win at the Nizhny Novgorod Arena on Thursday. The ageing Argentina squad never actually woke up from their deep slumber as the likes of Rebic, Modric and Rakitic hammered away three goals into the back of the Argentine net. 

The floodgates opened with a goal by Rebic in the 55th minute as a horrific blunder by Willy Caballero saw the ball land on to the way of Rebic, who shot the ball mercilessly in the top of the net. Argentine fans around the world expected their beloved team to come back from the goal but they never came back into the game. A flurry of changes was made by Argentina with the Juventus sensation Paulo Dybala finally making his debut in the tournament, but it was too little, too late.

Croatia now go into the knock-out stage with two consecutive wins.

No Messi show
1 / 6
Lionel Messi was relatively quiet in the whole match against Croatia

 

Higuain
2 / 6
A disappointed Higuain after Argentina concedes 3 goals against Croatia

 

Brilliant Modric
3 / 6
Modric after scoring a brilliant goal from outside the box

 

A Jubilant Croatia
4 / 6
Croatian team celebrates after they lead 3-0 against Argentina

 

Argentina fans
5 / 6
Fans were heartbroken after Argentina crashes out against Croatia

 

Heartbreak
6 / 6
Many Argentina travelling fans left the stadium even before full time

 



 

First Published: Fri, June 22 2018. 02:05 IST