Through Kanvees back to the championship train? The pre-favorite Argentina started their soccer World Cup tournament a little over a week ago with a real shock defeat against Saudi Arabia. The Argentinian newspapers raved about their national team’s head coach’s Game Plan and number one star Lionel Messi’s excerpts.
On Wednesday evening, after the match ended, two jubilant teams were seen on the field. Argentina had become the winner of Group C after beating Poland 2–0, though Wojciech Szczesny saved Messi’s penalty kick in the opening period.
The party started in Poland’s camp as well, when they heard about the result of the second final game of Group C. Mexico beat Saudi Arabia 2–1, but fell behind Poland on goal difference. Saudi Arabia was left as a group jumbo despite their stunning defeat of Argentina.
Right from the start of the second period, Argentina made a great shot, which he finished off Alexis McAllister. The second hit came in the 67th minute by Julian Alvarez patchy.
The first goal was preceded by a flurry of 17 successful passes, and the second hit was preceded by a possession period of 27 passes. We went through the hits with Urheilu’s expert Jonne Kunnasen with.
Opening goal: Smart movement and poor decisions by the Poles
After starting in the middle, Argentina calmly moves the ball in width and depth. Argentina makes use passes in front of Poland’s midfield and defense lines, forcing Poland’s players to move towards the ball. It can enable spaces to be created and opened up.
Then it starts happening.
– Lateral cooperation works. Argentina has formed a superiority on the wing. Argentina player (7, Rodrigo de Paul) moves the Polish player (13, Jakub Kaminski) from side to side and gets the attention of the Polish player. Then space is created for the middle lane, so to speak, in the pocket. Even Poland’s wing pack can’t move up, because Argentina has a threat on their right wing, Kunnas begins.
With this, Argentina is able to advance on the wing until the long ends. In a concentration situation, the Polish full-back (18, Bartosz Bereszynski) defends miserably. His distance from the focus giver To Nahuel Molina is too big. In addition, he goes to block by jumping and turning his back. Molina has an easy job of putting the ball accurately in the goal.
The last thing to consider is the events in front of the goal. The Polish defensive line only looks at the ball and dribbles down the line too early. Then there is room for a cut back pass directed towards the rear.
– Striker Julian Alvarez’s movement towards the goal is important. He stays close to the finish line and takes toppers with him. This is how space opens up for Mac Allister.
Below is the paint from a wide picture and a normal TV viewing angle.
Second hit: Great individual skill after a fatal defensive tackle
In the second goal, Argentina’s supply chain is even longer. Argentina sometimes uses the ball deep in Poland’s end. However, the team does not concentrate from a weak position, but comes back with the ball.
In these situations, the Polish line has to pump down and back up. Kunnas says that often in these situations, the defense becomes unclear about who is guarding whom. Because of this, Argentina does not progress directly to the finish line, but the situation continues.
At the point when Argentina has made 26 passes, Poland’s right flank (26, Michal Skoras) will go up against the ball player from Argentina (24, Enzo Fernandez).
– The wrong Polish player comes loose, we no longer close the center, but try to defend the flanks. From Poland’s point of view, it would be better if the player in the same lane would break away, in which case the movement directions of the Argentinian player would be better under control. Now Poland is opening a route to the center, says Kunnas.
After that, we will see the magical individual skill of Argentina. Fernandez carries with short touches and far enough to force the Polish toppers off the line. Fernandez then gives Alvarez a little tip with the tip of his boot, whose takeover and finish are beautiful.
– The feed and finishing are pure excellence, they couldn’t be better, Kunnas admires.
Below is the paint from a wide picture and a normal TV viewing angle.
Heather: Better, but still not the best Argentina
Although Argentina beat Mexico 2–0 in their second game, the performance did not convince ‘s experts even then. Last year, Argentina won the South American championship, but that was about the lively playing Erkka V. Lehtolan in his opinion “only scraps left”.
– The structure of the team is currently not at a good enough level to play for the championship. One player cannot change everything, even if it is Messi, Kunnas stated at the time.
Are Argentina’s locks open now?
Huuhkajie’s head coach who was an expert in ‘s studio Markku Kanerva noted that Argentina rallied nicely after the loss to Saudi Arabia.
– Yes, it has a shocking effect on self-confidence. I believe we haven’t seen the best of Argentina yet. There were already some good pranks today.
– This is an upward trend from Argentina. It promises better. The structure was much better – how to fill the field and how to control the ball. Quite a dangerous offensive game. The balance is better than before, and of course the defense as well, said for his part Erkka V. Lehtola.
However, Lehtola pointed out that Argentina had a lot more scoring opportunities than the 2-0 score suggests.
– I claim that with Brazil’s equipment this would not have ended 2-0.
Below you can watch the studio discussion about the match between Argentina and Poland.
Argentina created 24 goal chances and 13 shots on goal in the match, as well as goal-scoring I opt in (you switch to another service) as much as 3.51. For the first time in the history of the World Cup, Argentina created more than 3 expected goals, when against Mexico the reading was only 0.28.
Poland had three attempts to score, and not a single shot on goal, and their expected goal was 0.32.
As for Poland, the Argentine media talked about superstars after the match, Robert Lewandowski and meeting Messi. Lewandowski wanted to shake Messi’s hand after his foul in the midfield, but Messi refused.
Poland’s last attempt to score came in the 53rd minute. Perhaps that’s why the Poles’ celebrations after the Argentina defeat amused ‘s studio.
– Looks a bit corny in a certain way. Play a miserable match and advance. I don’t know if he deserved his next place. Of course, four points from the first two games, a bad game today, Kanerva reflected and added that with the same game plan against France, it could be a cold ride.
If Saudi Arabia had not reduced the score to 1-2 against Mexico, the goal difference between Poland and Mexico would have been equal. Then the warning accounts would have been looked at. In them, Poland was ahead after taking fewer yellow cards. In their own game, Mexico frantically searched for a third hit. A couple of goals from Mexico were disallowed for offside.
Next, in the quarter-finals, Argentina will meet the second in Group D, Australia. Poland will play against the winner of Group D, France.
The other two known pairs for the quarterfinals are Holland-USA and England-Senegal.
Will Australia have anything to fight against Argentina?
– Australia is now a kind of Cinderella story. The first game against France (1-4 loss) was weak, the defense was really bad. The way they have improved especially their defense gives a chance. There is a seam, but Argentina is a massive early favorite, Kunnas explained.
On Thursday, the E and F blocks will be played until the end.
The last matches of Group F start at 17:00: Croatia-Belgium (TV2) and Canada-Morocco ( Areena).
The last matches of Group E start at 21:00: Japan-Spain (TV2) and Costa Rica-Germany ( Areena).
Below you can find the goal summaries of Wednesday’s late matches, statistics and the situations of all groups, both those that have been resolved and those that are in progress.
Block A:
Block B:
Block C:
Block D:
Block E:
Last matches:
1.12. Japan–Spain at 21:00 TV2
1.12. Costa Rica–Germany at 21:00 Areena
Block F:
Last matches:
1.12. Croatia–Belgium at 17:00 TV2
1.12. Canada–Morocco at 17:00 Areena
Block G:
Last matches:
2.12. Cameroon–Brazil at 21:00
2.12. Serbia–Switzerland at 21:00
The matches are shown on MTV, but the highlights are immediately visible on ‘s digital services. The recordings of the matches come to Areena after midnight.
Block H:
Last matches:
2.12. South Korea–Portugal at 17:00 TV2
2.12. Ghana–Uruguay at 17:00 Areena