Messi provides as Argentina leads the Netherlands at the half
Published
Chasing a record goal, Lionel Messi played provider for Nahuel Molina as the Atletico defender's goal has Argentina leading the Netherlands 1-0 at the half of the their FIFA World Cup quarter-finals tie in Qatar.
The winner will move on to face Croatia, victors over Brazil on penalties earlier on Friday, in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
The opening minutes of the half were mostly a feeling-out process with both sides content on trading possession in the midfield
In the 22nd, Messi got the crowd on its feet. Making a darting run into space, Messi let a shot fly, but it was well over the goal. Messi is looking for a 10th World Cup goal, which would put him level on goals with Fiorentina icon Gabriel Batistuta for most in an Argentina shirt.
Minutes later, Memphis was frustrated when a dangerous-looking Netherlands move came to naught when his heavy touch fell to Steven Bergwijn and the Ajax man's low drive was sent well wide.
A moment of brilliance from Messi in the 35th led to the opener. Messi spotted Molina's run with a perfectly weighted diagonal pass and the defender's low drive beat Andries Noppert for Molina's first goal in an Argentina shirt. The assist on the goal was Messi's seventh at a World Cup, one fewer than Argentina's record-holder, the late Diego Maradona.
The Oranje came close to an equalizer late in the half when Cody Gakpo sent an inviting free kick into the area, but it was headed away by the Argentina back line. Only seconds, he'd send in another, but this was handled by Emi Martinez in the Argentina goal.