Argentina’s goalkeeper Emi Martinez saved penalty kicks from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis to secure them a 4-3 shootout win over the Netherlands on Friday.
Lautaro Martinez scored the winning penalty kick to secure the win, after their World Cup quarter-final match finished 2-2 after 120 minutes of play.
In a scrappy half-hour of extra time with the scores level, Enzo Fernandez rattled the post in the closing seconds.
Martinez and German Pezzella also had efforts blocked or parried away as Argentina desperately pushed for a winner.
The Netherlands had rarely troubled Argentina during the match before substitute Wout Weghorst’s header 10 minutes later sparked them into life.
He rolled the ball past goalkeeper Emi Martinez deep into stoppage time to send the game into extra time.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi had superbly set up Nahuel Molina for their first-half opener, threading a sublime pass through the Dutch defence.
He then coolly slotted in a penalty kick in the 73rd minute after Denzel Dumfries fouled Marcos Acuna.
Argentina will next face Croatia, who beat Brazil earlier in the day on penalty kicks also, on Tuesday for a place in the final.
(Reuters/NAN)
