In a possibly era-defining contest, Argentina will take on Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finals at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Tuesday (December 13).
Spirited Croatia, led by Luka Modric, are back-to-back World Cup semi-finalists looking to make a repeat finals appearance from 2018 in Russia, while Lionel Messi’s Argentina look to book their place in the finals for the first time since 2014.
DraftKings World Cup Parlay Leg #1; Argentina ML: (-115)
Could this be the day Lionel Messi books his last possible trip to the World Cup final, or will Luka Modric achieve the same? The leg of the semi-finals is quite firmly poised.
Argentina are the favored side on paper. Ever since the opening day upset against Saudi Arabia, they have been magnificent. The defensive solidity on display for the South American side has been outstanding. The slip-up against the Dutch in the last game will be a concern for Lionel Scaloni’s side, but all other factors build up to Argentina’s triumph.
After one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, the Croatian side come into this game defeating the competition’s favorites, Brazil. They do tend to take games deep, having gone to penalties in both of their knockout games in this competition. Their tendency could cost them the game, considering the amount of attacking depth Argentina possesses and of course, not discounting the Messi factor.
DraftKings World Cup Parlay Leg #2; Total Goals: Over 2.5
Both sides have incredible attacking quality on offer. The Argentina lineup is built on a hardworking forward line, making space for Lionel Messi to work his magic. Thus far, they have scored two or more goals in every game since their defeat against Saudi Arabia.
Although the Croatian side hasn’t been as prolific as Argentina, they do pack a punch going forward. The likes of Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic have been a menace throughout the tournament, while the best player on the pitch on most occasions has been their veteran phenomenon Luka Modric. Both sides have star-studded attacking lineups led by their legendary playmakers. We should be seeing an action-packed contest.
DraftKings World Cup Parlay Leg #3; Anytime Goalscorer: Lionel Messi
Quite possibly the player of the tournament so far, Lionel Messi has rolled back the years to deliver yet another demonic campaign. In every single game that Argentina has played in this tournament, he has been the best player on the pitch by a country mile. Having scored four goals and assisted two, he is the joint-second top scorer and assist provider in the entire tournament.
If there is anyone on the planet to step up to on such an occasion, it is surely the Little Maestro who could be on his way to possibly the greatest individual World Cup campaign of all time.
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