Argentina are world champions for the third time in their history, after an exciting match that will go down in football history.
The victory in the Qatar 2022 final comes on penalties, after an incredible 3-3, which saw the absolute protagonists Messi and Mbappé .
It was Messi himself who opened the ball in the first half from a penalty, before Di Maria doubled his lead. In the second half, however, 97 seconds were enough for Mbappé to equalise, from a penalty and then with a right foot that struck Martinez.
In extra time Messi scored again and then Mbappé again, from a penalty, signing a hat-trick to be framed.
In the final lottery from the 11 meters fatal to Les Bleus the mistakes of Coman and Tchouameni. It ends 7-5.
LINE -UPS – At the Lusail Stadium, in front of over 86,000 spectators, Scaloni sends Martinez, Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, Di Maria, De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Messi, Alvarez onto the field.
Deschamps replies with Lloris, Varane, Kounde, Upamecano, T. Hernandez, Raboit, Tchouameni, Mbappé, Dembele, Griezmann, Giroud.
Competition direction entrusted by the Polish referee Marciniak.
FIRST HALF – Argentina started off strong right away, relying on Di Maria, deployed on the left, De Paul and the usual Messi. France, however, keeps a good watch and manages to contain the first gusts of the Albiceleste. Mac Allister tries, with a blow from a distance that arrives centrally in the arms of Lloris, and Di Maria tries, but sends to the stars.
The French break comes after 20 minutes, when Giroud heads high, sending high, however, after having overwhelmed a defender.
One minute after the turn. Di Maria dribbles Dembele, enters the area and Dembele himself pushes him from behind: it's a penalty for Marciniak. Messi shows up on the spot and displaces Lloris and makes it 1-0.
France tries to regroup, but there is none. At the 37th masterful counterattack by Argentina, the ball finally reaches Di Maria who can't miss the double.
Dechamps sees his stunned players and then tries to change: Dembele and Giroud out and Kolo Muani and Thuram in. However, Les Bleus fail to bring any threats to Martinez's goal and it's 2-0 at half-time.
SECOND HALF – The second half begins and the script doesn't change: Argentina plays the game and France seems unrecognizable compared to the triumphal march that took them to the final.
Albiceleste, on the other hand, thanks to their advantage, lowered the pace but didn't give up on looking out for Lloris. Like in the 59th minute, when Alvarez called the French goalkeeper to make a low save.
Two minutes later another show by Di Maria, who preaches football to the left and serves in the middle, but Messi is stopped in extremis by Rabiot.
Mbappé's first ring came only in the 70th minute, with a left-footed attempt that ended up off target, over the crossbar.
In the 79th minute France finally came out of hibernation: Kolo Muani entered the area, Otamendi yanked him and Marciniak awarded the penalty. From eleven meters Mbappé transforms and shortens the distance .
Not even two minutes later and the incredible happens: Thuram manages to find Mbappé in the area after an exchange and the French champion with his right foot hits the shot that beats Lloris and makes it 2-2 .
In the last minutes and in recovery, other emotions: Martinez blocks an aggressive transalpine action, while Lloris flies to deflect Messi's shot from outside for a corner.
We go to extra time.
THE EPILOGUE – The very chances of the first overtime are from Argentina: persistent action in the area, the ball to Lautaro as soon as he enters, but El Toro loses time for the conclusion in front of Lloris. A minute later Lautaro manages to control and conclude, but the ball, perhaps deflected, but ends wide.
In the second extra-time Argentina presses again and finally finds the goal: Lautaro shoots on goal from close range, Lloris rejects, Messi reiterates, however, with the ball that just crosses the line and is rejected, but it's a goal: Argentina leading 3-2.
But that's not all: in the 116th minute Mbappé tries from the edge, Montiel deflects his arm and the referee blows his whistle for another penalty. Mbappé again on the spot and another goal for the incredible 3-3.
Goalkeepers still protagonists in the last seconds: both Emiliano Martinez and Lloris in fact saved the result with two sensational interventions.
Penalties are needed: Mbappé and Messi score, Coman misses , Dybala scores, Tchouameni misses and Kolo Muani scores. Montiel doesn't fail and it really ends: Argentina can lift the World Cup they dreamed of in 1986, when it was Diego Armando Maradona who lifted it.
(Unioneonline/lf)
