Lionel Messi one win from crowning glory after Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 in World Cup semi-final
Messi scored from the spot to become his nation's all-time leading World Cup goal scorer with Julian Alvarez netting twice to send Argentina through to the final.
Football
Argentina are through to the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 after a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday (13 December) at Lusail Stadium.
Lionel Messi converted a penalty before Julian Alvarez scored twice, his second after a typically mesmerising Messi run, to send 'La Albiceleste' through to Sunday's final.
This will be Argentina's sixth World Cup Final, and their first since 2014 when they were beaten 1-0 by Germany in extra time.
If they defeat either reigning champions France or Morocco on Sunday, they will clinch the biggest trophy in men's football for a third time after previous triumphs in 1978 and 1986.
For Messi, it would set the seal on a glittering career in which he has won everything except a World Cup winner's medal.
Messi and Alvarez wreck Croatian hopes
After a quiet opening half-hour, in which Croatia dominated possession, Alvarez was sent through on goal and flicked the ball past Dominik Lovakovic who brought him down in the area.
Up stepped Messi whose powered his penalty above Lovakovic's dive to put the South American giants in front against the run of play.
That was Messi's 11th World Cup goal, one ahead of the previous Argentinian record held by Gabriel Batistuta.
He had already made history by starting the match, joining Lothar Matthaus on a record 25 World Cup appearances.
Five minutes later, Argentina launched a quick counter with Alvarez running at the heart of the Croatia defence.
And thanks to a favourable bounce, the Manchester City striker - currently on-loan at River Plate - was able to lash the ball past Lovakovic to double his side's lead.
It was almost 3-0 moments later, but Lovakovic made a superb reflex save to keep out Alexis Mac Allister's near-post header.
Croatia looked shellshocked and were pleased to go into the break just two behind.
They lost midfield general Marcelo Brozovic to injury soon after the restart, and Lovakovic was forced to make another good stop to deny Messi.
Dejan Lovren came close with a header as the Croats sought a route back into the game, but the game was sealed by a piece of Messi magic with 20 minutes to go.
He turned Josko Gvardiol inside out on the right flank, reaching the byline before teeing up Alvarez for his second of the night.
With 10 minutes to go, Messi's opposite number Luka Modric was substituted after a game in which he was kept largely subdued by the Argentinian midfield.
And the South Americans saw out the rest of the 90 minutes without too much alarm to book their place in Sunday's final.