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Football

World Cup 2022: Argentina and Croatia Secure Semi-Finals Spots with Dramatic Penalty Shootouts

The World Cup quarter-finals kicked off last night and both matches ended in a dramatic fashion. Argentina had to put up a good fight to defeat the Netherlands, while Croatia stunned Brazil in a shocking penalty shootout to secure a spot in the semi-finals. The first quarter-finals match was played between Brazil and Croatia, and it led to one of the tournament’s biggest surprises so far. Croatia entered the match as a clear underdog, but stood their ground to the football powerhouse Brazil, forcing extra time. After Neymar and Bruno Petkovic scored goals for their respective teams, the game entered the penalty shootout phase. Croatia dominated this section of the game, scoring 4-2 on penalties thanks to Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Luka Modric, and Mislav Orsic. As for the face-off between Argentina and the Netherlands, the South American team was the expected winner, but they didn’t have an easy time getting to the semi-finals. They were in the lead for most of the match, but Wout Weghorst gave the Dutch team a comeback they desperately needed, eventually forcing a 2-2 draw. They gave their best during the penalty shootout, but Argentina eventually won 4-3 on penalties. Following their victories, Argentina and Croatia will face in the first semi-finals match on December 13. The participants of the second match will be determined tonight, in the games between Morocco vs Portugal and England vs France.