Argentina Live | World Cup 2018 | Argentina vs Croatia

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Croatia make it to the last 16. Argentina are wrecked. They'll need to eviscerate Nigeria by 4 goals if they're to even stand a chance of qualifying.

Sampaoli's men looked utterly unconvincing and incompetent in the second half.

It finishes Croatia 3-0 Argentina.

Man, don't even get me started. I'm out of here.

Ciao.

93' What a ridiculous performance this has been from Argentina. If Croatia were two shades better than them in the first half, they have been miles ahead of them in quality in the second.

91' JOB DONE IN STYLE! Rakitic humiliates Argentina. Proper ragged.

Croatia break on the counter and the Argentinians don't even give chase. Rakitic takes gentle steps into the final third and has Kovacic running freely on his left side. He goes for goal himself but Caballero dives to his right and parries it straight to Kovacic. Kovacic delays his pass and none of the Argentinians even care about showing up stopping him. He slides it across to Rakitic who stays right in the centre of the box, steadies himself and sends the ball to the bottom corner. Humiliated.

90' Messi nutmegs one defender and lays it off to Meza who swivels past 3 challenges and sends one whizzing to the far bottom corner but Vida slides in to send that for a corner. Corner comes to nothing.

88' Kovacic motors down the left flank and has the beating of Mercado but his cut back falls for no one. Argentina clear but it falls for Modric who goes for glory from almost 40 yards out and this time, it's a wayward shot from the Real Madrid talisman.

88' We're into the business end of the game and it looks as though Croatia will see this through comfortably as they keep the ball in midfield with some precise passing. Mascherano crashes into Mandzukic and concedes a freekick.

86' Acuna gets a yellow card for an infringement on the left flank.

85' OH MY MY! Rakitic, the technician, gets it over the wall but can't get it down enough as the ball hits the crossbar.

85' Rakitic is standing by the ball. 30 yards out.

84' Rakitic is mowed down and the boiling point has been reached. Almost breaks out into a Grove Street brawl as Otamendi puts his face uncomfortably close to Rakitic's and earns a yellow card. He really just kicked Rakitic while he was on the ground. What the heck! Behave, you Cityzen.

83' Higuain gets a shot away on the half turn but he hits it straight at Subasic.

81' Substitution for Croatia.

Perisic off. Kovacic on.

80' LUKA MODRIC! GOLAZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WHAT A STRIKE!

Modric receives the ball, 25 yards away from goal and the little wizard drops his shoulder and takes Otamendi out of the picture and then leathers it into the corner, past the despairing dive of Caballero. That's it then. Croatia are winning this.

79' Rakitic is running riot on the left flank. Two silky touches and he plays Kramaric clear. He cuts it back for Rakitic whose shot is blocked.

78' Mascherano plays a good diagonal ball and finds Dybala on the move, on the right flank. But the Juve lad's cross is hit straight at Subasic.

78' Corner comes to nothing but Acuna collects the ball on the left flank and whips one in. This time Mandzukic queers his pitch with a clearing header.

77' Nothing that the Argentines are doing is inspiring any kindof confidence in anyone who's on their side. Pavon tries to charge into the box and Dejan Lovren deals with it with aplomb and clears the ball for a corner.

75' Messi motors down the right flank but is forced to play it back to Dybala. Meanwhile, the referee decides to blow his whistle as Rakitic has been staying down in the middle of the park after a coming together. Tempers are rising here, man. Grab your popcorn.

73' Acuna plays a terrible cross that's aimed at no one. It goes out for a goalkick unhindered. Meanwhile, Sampaoli is losing it near the tactical area. He has already lost his jacket and his tatted up arms are now on show in all their glory.

72' Comedy of errors from the Argentinian defence once again but luckily, Argentina get away with it. Messi is frustrated and is not happy with Strinic's challenge as he almost slaps the Croatian's leg on his way up.

71' Kovacic is all set to come on for Croatia as they seek greater defensive control in midfield.

70' Messi dinks the ball into the area and Higuain shifts it across to Dybala on the right side of the box. He cuts in and goes for goal but can't keep it on target as it keeps rising beyond the advertisement hoardings.

69' Kramaric breaks into the left flank but he has no support. He bides his time and then plays a ball in but Otamendi clears the danger before the ball reaches Mandzukic.

68' Rakitic fouls Dybala in the centre of the park. One more stamp. What's up with all the stamping? That's how fresh shoes get treated in a frat. I guess the setting is not very different.

67' Substitution for Argentina.

Enzo Perez off. Paulo Dybala on. COME ON, PAULO!

66' Vrsaljko comes from behind and clatters into Acuna and is rightly shown a yellow card.

65' Rakitic shifts the ball with finesse and switches wings to find Vrsaljko on the edge of the box on the right side. He serves a grounded ball for Mandzukic but he can't sneak the ball in through the gap between Willy and his near post. That chance gets put paid to.

64' Dybala is getting ready to come on. FINALLY! Mandzukic is fouled near the centre of the park by Otamendi.

63' MEZA MISSES!

Much better from Argentina. Higuain is released on the left side of the box and he slides it into the near post and Meza tries to run it past Subasic. Meza gets it and he slides it to Messi but Rakitic dives in to block Messi's effort and Argentina have a corner. Otamendi heads the corner ball away from goal and out for a goalkick.

62' Mascherano cuts the ball back into the centre for Messi. Messi tries to swivel past an array of defenders and it looks for a second like the ball is sticking to his foot but Croatia ultimately see it clear.

61' Messi fights his way into space and feeds Higuain on the edge of the area. Higuain slides it across to Pavon but his cross is cleared for a throw.

60' Argentina are struggling as we enter the last half an hour of the game.

58' Argentina seem to be unable to even string a few passes together. Their fans look deflated and many of them have sunken into their seats.

57' Mandzukic is booked for driving his knee into Meza near the centre of the park.

57' A win puts Croatia through to the last 16. Argentina's future will be beyond them. This is riveting stuff.

56' Caballero gets good distance on his punch on the ball floated into the area from the corner.

56' Substitution for Croatia.

Rebic off. Kramaric on.

55' Substitution for Argentina.

Salvio off. Pavon on.

55' Rakitic threads one through and Perisic motors ahead and whips in an inviting ball into the box but the weight of numbers help Argentina clear the ball for a corner.

54' Substitution for Argentina.

Aguero off. Higuain on.

I mean, what the heck is going on?

52' Willy Caballero with the blooper of the World Cup and Rebic smashes it in! What was that even? Caballero pops the ball up into the air from Mercado's backpass like a weak teenager and it drops nicely for Rebic who doesn't think twice and volleys it into the back of the net.

51' Higuain is getting ready to come on for La Albiceleste. I have mixed feelings about this. I'm sure you do too.

50' Croatia break on the counter after an Argentine attack is snookered. Rebic heads clear of the first challenge but Mercado trips him as he threatened to swivel clear. Mercado gets a yellow for that.

49' Acuna and Vrsaljko almost get into an argy bargy over a throw-in on Croatia's right flank. Eventually, the Croats get the throw and Perisic rushes ahead and whips in a ball into the box but there's no Croatian player to receive it and another Croatian attack is scuppered.

48' Messi wins a freekick as Modric handles the ball. 30 yards off goal, Messi takes it short and Meza snatches at it and his shot is blocked.

47' Vida once again plays himself into trouble and gets away with it as Aguero just couldn't gather the astray ball in time.

46' Mario Mandzukic thrusts his elbow into Otamendi's throat and concedes a freekick deep into Argentina's defensive half.

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! Aguero rolls the ball and we're live in the second half.

Argentina have struggled to involve two of their best players- Messi and Aguero. As a result, Croatia have been two shades better than Sampaoli's men. They've created the better chances but they really need their strikers to keep their head in front of goal.

Let's hope the game springs to life in the second half. We're a couple of minutes away from getting right back into the thick of thangs.

PEEEEEEEEEEP! Halftime.

Argentina 0-0 Croatia. Be right back, lads and lasses. Nothing great happening here anyway.