The albiceleste, who has gone from less to more and doubts Di María, will play the ticket to the quarterfinals this Saturday against one of Qatar’s revelations
The obligation against illusion, the necessity against the ambition not to miss a historic opportunity. This is how the World Cup round of 16 tie is presented a priori between an Argentina for which it would be a national drama not to make it to the round, and an Australia which has already rung the bell by qualifying against the odds as second in group D, with the same points as mighty France.
It is therefore not surprising that Sydney has decided to install gigantic screens in various public areas so that citizens can follow the match live. The euphoria is at its maximum among the fans and public transport in the capital of New South Wales will also be free from two hours before the start of the match to promote the influx to these points.
However, in the stands of the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar (8 p.m.), the Albiceleste fans will once again form the majority due to a landslide. The Argentinian team, after losing to Saudi Arabia in their debut (1-2), has clearly improved its performance. He rose from the canvas, hit the match ball against Mexico with suffering and then sent Poland back with solvency (2-0) to the roadmap that led him to the World Cup without losing his last 36 commitments. Step-by-step.
However, from now on there is no room for error and Scaloni’s men are obliged to show their best version if they want to get the third star on their shirt. Despite still being entrusted with the magic of Messi – against the Socceroos the PSG player will reach the record of a thousand games played, surpassing Maradona – Argentina is much more. They are a strong team in both areas and have a midfield that combines creativity and physical display. For all this and for history and football career, she is a clear favorite to get the ticket to the quarterfinals.
Scaloni, who opted for Julián Álvarez instead of Lautaro Martínez in the attack against Poland, continues to have doubts about Di Maria against the Australians. The ‘Fideo’, who suffers from a contracture in the thigh of his left leg, is a key figure in the scheme of the albiceleste. The medical tests carried out have ruled out a break, but while there is optimism about his recovery, it seems unlikely that the technician will take a risk.
There are indications that it will be. One is that the Juventus player did not train with his teammates in the last preparatory session before the clash. According to what was seen during the 15-hour training session open to the press, the Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid players, Papu Gómez and Ángel Correa respectively, are running as possible alternatives to fill the position.
Australia, for its part, while aware of the difficulty of overcoming the Argentines, is overflowing with optimism. The Socceroos believe it after the results achieved in Qatar. In fact, they aim to deliver another surprise, as they did by keeping Denmark out. Australian coach Graham Arnold is clear about it. “Of course we’re going to win. I led the Olympic team in Tokyo and we beat Argentina 2-0. It’s a yellow shirt against a light blue and white. 11 against 11,” he said.
And it went on. Convinced they will be in the next round, he hopes to meet “Brazil”. “We want to play against the best, we want to test ourselves and show the rest of the world what our culture is. I’ve been saying this for probably six or eight months,” Arnold launched.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
