The 'Battle of Lusail' was won, and lost several times over the 120 minutes of football (plus penalties) on Friday night. Argentina won it first when they went 2–0 up against a Louis van Gaal-coached Netherlands that looked hapless in attack, even though they were dogged in defence. They won it again, when Emiliano Martinez, another of the tournament's several standout keepers, saved twice in the shootout. But it was only when Lautaro Martinez finally, emphatically, dispatched his spot kick that the moment of release finally arrived. Argentina were through to their fifth World Cup semifinal in typical fashion – drawing from the deepest depth of the well of emotion, anxiety, yearning. They don't seem to know any other way. (Argentina eventually won 4-3 on penalties after two goals each in 120 minutes.
With almost 80 minutes on the clock, Argentina were in control. But Van Gaal isn't known as one of the masters of the sport for nothing. Bringing on the 6 foot 6 striker, Wout Weghorst, (on loan to Besiktas from Burnley) proved to be decisive. Barely five minutes on the pitch and he scored, off a set piece that Van Gaal told reporters he brought to the camp from the Turkish club. The Dutch switched to all-out-physical, route one football. Play 2-3-5, with central defender and captain Virgil van Dijk as the most forward player, they pressed and pressed, without even attempting to play any football. Just when it was almost over, another set piece, another practice ground routine and another Weghorst goal. 2–2 and it looked like the Messi dream was coming to an end. But this generation is different.
Sitting in the stands, we almost wrote off the player who had earlier bagged his 10th World Cup goal for Argentina, matching Gabriel Batistuta’s record. It was a lesson. Eight years ago, Van Gaal shut Messi down in that semifinal in Brazil by putting Nigel de Jong on man marking duties. In Qatar, Messi has been something completely different. Not in four World Cups have I seen the kind of fire, the kind of passion and the kind of football he is playing today. Throughout the 120 minutes (plus another 20 or so of added time), even with the great views of the press box at the Lusail Stadium, it was almost impossible to keep track of the spectral, diminutive No 10. He is minimal in motion, yet somehow aware of everything. In the 35th minute when Messi received the ball at the edge of the final third, it didn't seem much. But he knew exactly what he was doing. With an almost imperceptible drop of the hip, he sold Nathan Ake, clocked Molina's precise position and played the perfect through ball. Yet, finishing things off with a nonchalant penalty wouldn't quite be the Argentine way…
Pekerman impact
The way this generation has been brought up can, perhaps, be traced back to Jose Pekerman and his U-20 World Cup win here in Qatar back in 1995. Pekerman, like the other eccentric genius Marcelo Bielsa, focussed on total development — not just as a player but also as a person. Under his tutelage, Argentina went on an incredible run at the U-20 World Cups, winning five out of seven (1995-2007). The hope, of course, was that success at the junior level would translate into the elite level. Messi was part of one of Pekerman's winning teams, in 2005, and was given his first senior cap by the man the following year. Lionel Scaloni, and his assistant Walter Samuel are also Pekerman products, as is magical winger Angel Di Maria. The generation that, arguably, began in Qatar will end here as well. For a few minutes, we thought that end had arrived. But Argentina dug into the deepest reserves, used the pain and turned it into an advantage, brought the fire and stayed alive. The only question now, can they do two more times and etch the word Qatar into the most glorious chapter of the nation's football history? Thousands of Argentine fans have appeared on the streets of Qatar. On Friday night, they didn't want to leave the stands, and the players seemed not wanting to leave the pitch. They come from all over — Kerala, Bangladesh, Palestine and of course every corner of Argentina. For them, there is no other way this tale can end.