On Sunday at Lusail Stadium, Argentina overcame a few tense moments to defeat France in a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout, fulfilling Lionel Messi’s lifelong dream of winning the FIFA World Cup.
Both sides were tied at two goals each at the completion of regulation play, and they each added a goal in extra time to make it three goals each, forcing the final match into a penalty shootout.
Kylan Mbappe scored the first goal for France in the tie-breaker, but Martinez began the scoring for Argentina with a shot that was off the mark and one that was stopped by the keeper.
Kolo Mani scored for France, but it wasn’t enough because their competitors made all four kicks.
Messi opened the scoring for Argentina, and then his three teammates did the same, giving their captain the ideal send-off gift. The 35-year-old has declared that the World Cup in Qatar will be his final.
Messi and Mbappe were the main topics of conversation leading up to the game because of their significant roles in the final, and they did not dissapoint. Mbappe scored a hat trick while Messi scored twice.
Six goals, three from the penalty spot, and a tonne of drama in extra time forced the game into a shootout.
Argentina took the lead once again through a goal from Messi in the 109th minute of the game, but Mbappe tied the score three times in the 118th minute with his third goal of the game and second from the penalty spot.
The defending champion’s game was displayed in two different ways in the final. They were essentially spectators in the first half before roaring back to catch up to their opponents late in the second.
Additionally, both teams started the scoring from the penalty spot, and they both rushed goals from 12 yards away.
Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 23rd minute, and Angel Di Maria scored a second to make the score 2 -0 at the break.
The Les Blues rallied to tie the score and added a second goal, both of which were scored by Mbappe in the 80th and 88th minutes.
Argentina were not the same team against the Asian side despite playing in the same stadium where they started their tournament campaign and shockingly lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia.
The Argentinians were all over France’s defence after playing six matches and developing communication and fluency with one another.
Attended by 89,966 viewers Through the successful conversion of a spot kick, Argentina took the lead. When Di Maria was hauled down within the box, the Polish referee pointed to the location.
To make it 1-0, Messi, who stepped up to take the penalty, sent Lloris the wrong way.
Argentina added a second goal, which was initiated by Messi on the right after a few passes found him there again. The mercurial left-footed magician then skillfully released Di Maria to make it 2-0 for Argentina.
Close to halftime, French coach Didier Deschamps made two substitutions in an effort to turn the tide after falling down by two goals.
Despite Argentina’s continuing dominance, Lloris stopped a few chances that were headed for the net, preventing them from adding a third to end the game. The first of Mhappe’s two goals sparked the action. He scored twice from the penalty spot, making it 2-2 after the first conversion. When France requested a second penalty kick, the referee instead issued the French striker a yellow card, adding to the tension on both sides of the field.
In injury time of the second half, Lloris was had to make a spectacular stop to deflect Messi’s graceful drive for a corner kick. Both teams engaged in additional goalmouth activity, with Argentina repelling a few threatening attempts to to take the match into extra time.
Argentina and France did not play as well in the extra period, engaging in numerous sloppy tackles that required the Polish referee to repeatedly maintain control of the situation. Messi was denied by Lloris in the second period of extra time after he unexpectedly created an opportunity. But it did not take long for Argentina to score after the French goalkeeper had first blocked a shot; in the 109th minute of the game, Lloris’ defence gave way.
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