Catch ya later. Hope y’all have caught your breath after that pulsating encounter. Catch us for the next game, which will be between Ronaldo’s Portugal and Suarez’s Uruguay.
Please do us a favour, folks
FULL-TIME: ARGENTINA 3-4 FRANCE
What a game! As many have mentioned many times already, this will go down as a World Cup classic. What more could one have asked for? That too, considering many had predicted a dour encounter keeping in mind how France fared against Denmark.
This may well be Messi’s last match for Argentina or in the World Cup – he will be 35 by the time the next showpiece event comes around. For the uninitiated, welcome to Kylian Mbappe, who is compared to the great Pele. Truth be told, this was another average outing for Messi. Pavard announced his arrival on the big stage with a stunning goal. It was all France post that.
What a turnaround that was after Mercado put Argentina in the lead. There aren’t too many tears from the Argentinians. They were picked apart from a vibrant, youthful, pacy French team. Sampaoli, if he manages to keep his job, has some work ahead trying to rework his defence and midfield. It should start with assigning a replacement for Mascherano.
90+4’ What a finish we had. Meza nearly bundled the ball into the net from close range. It went just over the bar. That peeep..peepp...finish.
This game continues to keep on giving. Messi says he is going down with a bang, floating a brilliant ball over the top of the French defence. Aguero heads it into the net.
90+2’ ARGENTINA 3-4 FRANCE (Aguero)
90+1’ Frustration getting the better of Argentina as Mercado and Di Maria clash with the linesman. The right-back has some choice words for the man with the flag.
89’ The curtains are almost down as Argentina stitch some interesting attacks, but the French defence is up for it.
88’ Mbappe walks off to huge cheers. He is replaced by Florian Thauvin, who makes his World Cup debut.
85’ Varane’s stood like a rock for the last ten minutes. Aguero made a promising run into the box but his shot was cut out by the Real Madrid defender.
84’ Almost! Messi nearly pulls off something all by himself. He gets the ball 30 yards from goal, nutmegs two defenders and runs into space. His final shot, though, was poor.
82’ Nabil Fekir comes on for Griezmann, who just took another huge knock following a sliding challenge by Mascherano.
81’ Messi tries to build something with a dummy and a slick pass to Meza on the right. The substitute’s cross was cut out by Umtiti and the ball goes safely back to keeper Lloris.
78’ France let Argentina have the ball. Messi, this time, has dropped back in midfield. Pavard is having an inspired game here.
75’ France continue to attack in numbers but no, the script hasn’t changed. Argentina continue to be brittle at the back. Meanwhile, French have replaced Matuidi with Tolisso.
73’ Argentina are once again cut open at the back and it could have been five. Kante wins the ball and makes a good run in the vacant area. Mascherano was the only man patrolling the defence. For once, Mbappe’s finish was poor.
71’ Matuidi will miss the next match following a yellow card. Pavard also goes into the book.
69’ Now, Giroud comes close. Pogba’s pass found the striker in acres of space. The Chelsea man’s thumping left-foot strike hit the side netting. Another close chance for the French, who look like getting more goals.
What a stunning buildup and finish. Matuidi won the ball in midfield and surged forward and passed it to Giroud, whose deft touch put Mbappe through on goal. His side-foot finish was world class, once again.
68’ GOAL!! ARGENTINA 2-4 FRANCE (Kylian Mbappe)
The match is slipping away from Argentina. The third goal was looming, with the defence continuing to struggle. Yet again, they were helpless as they watched the 19-year-old skip past defenders and smash it past Armani, who couldn’t gets his hands down on time.
64’ ARGENTINA 2-3 FRANCE (Kylian Mbappe)
59’ No shortage of fouls from both sets of players. The pace has dropped off quite a bit after what was a frenetic start to the second half.
Another great strike! What a match it is turning out to be. The right back reaches the edge of the penalty area, gets space and thumps the ball to the top corner. The ball spun and burst the back of the net.
57’ ARGENTINA 2-2 FRANCE (Benjamin Pavard)
55’ Suicidal defending from Argentina. Fazio nearly rolls the ball in Griezmann’s path with Armani out of his line and it nearly resulted in a goal. There was a chance for a VAR call to as there was a hint of shirt-pulling from Fazio on Griezmann. There are more goals in this game for sure.
52’ More fouls from Argentina. They have to be a little watchful here. Mbappe fouls Di Maria to end a French attack. How will the young French side respond?
49’ Now Banega goes into the book. It’s Argentina’s fourth booking. Like Mascherano, he will also miss the next game. SOS calls for Riquelme, Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti maybe?
That was streaky but Argentina will take it. What a turnaround this has been. Messi turned and attempted a hit at goal, the ball went to Mercado, whose touch took the ball into the net. What a time to score. Mercado was taking his foot out of the ball.
47’ GOAL! ARGENTINA 2-1 FRANCE (Gabriel Mercado)
46’ Argentina win a free-kick at the edge of the French box on the left. Pavard was culpable for pulling Di Maria’s shirt following a nutmeg on the French right-back.
We are back for the second half. Federico Fazio comes on for Marcus Rojo for Argentina. Rojo, Argentina’s hero from the previous game was on a yellow.
Half-time: Argentina 1-1 France
What a first half. Argentina were in sixes in sevens trying to cope with Mbappe’s pace in the first quarter of the game. The French had a few half-chances apart from the penalty. Argentina saw a lot of the ball, and didn’t create any clear-cut opportunities on goal apart from Di Maria’s stunner, which is surely one of the goals of the tournament.
43’ Mascherano gets a yellow for a clumsy tackle on Matuidi. He will miss the quarter-final, if Argentina get there.
What a strike! That was truly world class from Di Maria. He got the ball 30 yards from goal, space opened up for him, and he rifled it into the roof of the net. Lloris had no chance. Game on!
40’ GOAL!! ARGENTINA 1-1 FRANCE (Angel di Maria)
38’ Griezmann has truly arrived. His reverse ball releases Pavard on the right, and his cross almost setup Giroud at the goalmouth.
36’ Messi, for the first time, comes alive in the game with a tricky run. He goes down in the box but no penalty says the referee. There is a little more urgency in Argentina’s attacks.
32’ Messi has so far been marked out of the game by N’Golo Kante. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has hardly done anything of note so far. Meanwhile, Mascherano made another clumsy challenge, this time on Pogba. The Frenchman is not pleased with that and thinks the 34-year-old deserved a card.
30’ France had two attacks which had the opposition defence backpedaling. Giroud failed to read Greizmann’s pass, and Mbappe couldn’t get the better of Tagliafico after making another pacy run on the right.
27’ Argentina have nearly 70 percent possession and this time, Giroud enters the picture but his first-touch lets him down. The Chelsea striker was in space and Pavard delivered a beautiful inswinger in the box.
25’ Oh dear! We are not sure if Messi and Sampaoli have the tonic to cure this Argentina defence, which is in shambles. Now Greizmann makes a run into the box but Armani comes out to collect it. Matuidi was making a late run.
24’ Argentina raid the French territory for the first time. Mascherano slips a through ball to Rojo but the alert Lloris comes out of his line and pouches it. It was offside, anyway.
22’ Argentina continue to push. They have not been able to break down the French defence so far. Umtiti and Varane have been resolute.
20’ Pogba’s free-kick goes into orbit. The midfielder went for power to burst through the roof of the net.
18’ Free-kick at the at the edge of the area. Once again, it’s Mbappe who wins the foul after he easily gets behind the Argentinian defence. Tagliafico, this time, is the culprit. The left-back goes in the book.
16’ Argentina attack patiently following the goal. The French continue to crowd out Messi while Mbappe’s pace remains a huge threat.
13’ FRANCE 1-0 ARGENTINA (Griezmann)
That was cool and calm from the French forward, picking Armani’s right. The goalie went to his left. Argentina already have a backs-to-the-wall job.
Mbappe made a surging 70-yard run at the heart of the Argentina defence. He surged past three players before Rojo pulled his shirt. The Manchester United defender also gets a yellow.
PENALTY FOR FRANCE!
8’ OFF THE CROSSBAR – what a hit from Griezmann, who took the shot after it seemed as though Pogba would be the kicker. The frame of the goal is still shaking from what was a thunderous strike.
7’ Mascherano’s clumsy tackle on Mbappe gives France a free-kick from 25 yards out straight from goal. Interesting.
6’ Argentina seeing a lot of the ball. They have tried everything so far: attacks through the middle, left and the right, where Messi is stationed.
4’ De Maria makes a promising run on the left flank but the attack comes to nothing as the PSG winger boots it to the corner flag. Wasted opportunity.
3’ Messi tries a dummy on the right flank and he is holding his knees after what looks like a crunching tackle by Matuidi. Argentina have a free-kick.
2’ Slow start to the game. If early signs are anything to go by, Pogba is tightly marked by the Argentinians.
07:25 pm: National anthems time
07:23 pm: The wait is over. The players are heading out of the tunnel.
The World Cup group stage was lit up by the so-called small teams, writes Vinayakk. Do give it a read, folks.
Fourty years ago, the two teams faced off in the group stages. Argentina beat France 2-1. Cesar Luis Menotti’s side went on to lift the World Cup for the first time, that too, playing on home soil.
Head-to-head: 11 matches, Argentina wins: 6, France wins: 2, draws: 3
Season stats from 2017-’18: Paulo Dybala: 26 goals in 46 games, Gonzalo Higuain: 23 goals in 50 games, Sergio Aguero last season: 30 goals in 39 games. All three men are on the bench today.
2009: A friendly match – the last time Argentina faced France. Marseille was the venue.
06:48 pm: Here’s the big stat though: Messi has NEVER scored in the knockout stages of the World Cup. 666 minutes, 0 goals.
06:44 pm: France haven’t been the most exciting team to watch despite all that talent in the squad but they have been stingy. Only five shots on target in their three group games and the only goal conceded came from a penalty.
06:40 pm: For the second World Cup in a row, France reached the knockout stages without losing a single game in the group stages.
06:32 pm: Argentina emerged victorious both times the two teams faced in World Cups – in 1930 and 1950
06:22 pm: France haven’t beaten Argentina since 1986 but La Albiceleste have had a poor record against European opposition is recent times. Argentina’s last four matches against European sides have ended in 2 draws and 2 defeats.
06:17 pm: Alright folks, the team news is in! Pavon starts, Higuain drops to the bench. No Aguero either. Hmm.
(Graphic: @FIFAWorldCup / Twitter)
06:15 pm: Is Banega the perfect supporting cast for Messi? Will he shine again tonight? Arka Bhattacharya wrote on how Banega helped Argentina tick against Nigeria. Read here.
06:13 pm: The venue tonight is Kazan...
06:10 pm: As we wait for team news (which should be in any moment now) why don’t take our World Cup quiz? Share your scores with us on Twitter.
06:00 pm: Deschamps’s underwhelming France vs Sampaoli’s unpredictable Argentina...
If one were to chalk down a list great tinkermen through the ages in world football, it would be hard to leave Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli out.
His tinkering could end up in victory, like it did in Argentina’s thrilling 2-1 triumph over Nigeria in the World Cup on Tuesday, but it could backfire too. Sampaoli’s favoured back-three, for instance, was artfully picked apart by the formidable Croatians in Argentina’s previous match.
Earlier that day, France coach Didier Deschamps had effected his own share of changes, as many as five of them. Expectations wise at least, Sampaoli and Deschamps were poles apart when they went into their last group game.
Sampaoli, facing severe public and media scrutiny back home, was facing a do-or-die situation. Deschamps could afford to relax with the knowledge that even his second-string team still had the goods to match up or better Denmark, who needed a point from their last group game to guarantee progress.
Read more here.
05:50 pm: Alright then, this is... interesting. Remember the Ronaldo mural that became famous during the Confederations Cup last year? Lionel Messi and Argentina are staying in Kazan and this is their view! “I scored 4 goals, can you beat that, Leo?”
Fans, we tell you!
05:45 pm: After what happened with Lionel Messi in (and before) the Croatia game, you knew the cameras would be trained on him from the word go against Nigeria.
Is he disinterested?
Does he care enough?
Will he rub his forehead, covering his face again?
Will the real Leo Messi turn up?
Short answers: No, he’s not. Yes, he does. No, he didn’t. Yes, he did.
And the end result was Argentina pulling off a mini-heist against Nigeria in dramatic fashion. La Albiceleste, after all, live to fight another day and Messi stepped up once again – in more ways than one.
Read more here:
05:40 pm: Hello and welcome to The Field’s live blog of the first round of 16 fixture at Russia 2018. It’s no big deal. Not like a blockbuster or anything. It’s just the small matter of FRANCE TAKING ON ARGENTINA! What a way to start things off, eh?
Argentina and Lionel Messi need to find form fast if they are to go any further in the World Cup when they meet a France team who have yet to live up to their billing. The first last-16 match in Russia promises to be a fascinating clash of two under-achieving sides, waiting to hit full potential. The team that doesn’t do that on Saturday, heads back home.