France and Argentina lit-up the World Cup stage
Kylian Mbappe announces himself at the grandest stage
Angel Di Maria & Benjamin Pavard score brilliant long-range strikes
Messi's team puts up a fighting performance
France Vs Argentina
Griezmann 13' (P)
Pavard 57'
Mbappe 64', 68'
Di Maria 41'
Mercado 48'
Aguero 90+3'
Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a four-minute span as his final decisive goal as France beat Argentina to progress into the quarter-finals.
Argentina who was heading into this game after their dramatic qualification victory over Nigeria saw their manager Jorge Sampaoli who has been making "weird" changes to his starting line-up make yet another twist.
This time, a 4-3-3 formation saw Lionel Messi lead the attack as the No.9, with Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero only named as substitutes, keeping the Argentinian captain isolated up front.
Mbappe was the first to test the Argentinian defense as he made a driving run from inside his half, beating almost 6 Argentina players which led to Marcos Rojo making a clumsy foul in the box. The resulting penalty was converted by Antoine Griezmann, giving his side the lead.
Argentina was finding it difficult to create chances but a moment of magic by Angel Di Maria saw him unleash a spectacular 30-yard long-range curler bringing his side right back into the game.
Di Maria's spectacular strike
By the start of the 2nd half, Argentina had Rojo substituted for Fazio which proved to be decisive for the remainder of the game.
But a determined Argentinian side shockingly took the lead as Messi's brilliant shot on the turn deflected off Gabriel Mercado sending the Argentina players and fans into overdrive.
With a view of protecting their lead, Argentina's team failed to take control of the game as Benjamin Pavard scored the "goal of his life" with a first-time volley from the edge of the box.
With a view of protecting their lead, Argentina's team failed to take control of the game as Benjamin Pavard scored the "goal of his life" with a first-time volley from the edge of the box.
Pavard's monster volley
For the next 10 minutes, it was the Kylian Mbappe show! The PSG striker's two-quickfire goals in four minutes put France in the driving seat. Both strikes were clinical as ever; the first was a sweeping shot past the goalkeeper and the second was a crisp sweep concluding a ruthless France counter attack.
Mbappe Goal No.2
Knowing that their World Cup season was on the verge of ending, Argentina began digging deep and tried to create chances, which led Messi put in a delicious cross for substitute Sergio Aguero to head in his side's third, but France held their lead, thus earning a quarter-final place.
DID FRANCE DESERVE THE WIN?
Before the game began, on paper the French began as the firm favorites to win the game as their side looked the more of the "balanced team" in every position compared to their opponents.
With Messi, Argentina did have one of the fiercest counter-attacking teams in the competition but defensively, they weren't even close to any of the other sides.
Although France was the better team on the night, they did unleash their attack. But conceding three goals are big alerts to their defensive issues. If they are sorted, their sound defense and their ruthless attack would be enough to win the competition, hands down.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR ARGENTINA?
Although the game ended in defeat, this was Argentina's best performance of their World Cup campaign and they are exiting the competition with their heads held high.
The first question has to be raised on the Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli and the changes he kept making throughout the tournament. The first major call came even before the competition began by leaving out 29-goal striker Mauro Icardi out of his team.
Keeping players like Aguero and Higuain on the bench didn't work out at all.
Messi's best position is on the Right Wing, the whole world knows that but Sampaoli rarely played him there.
Another 22-goal striker Paulo Dybala was also used sparingly throughout the tournament. Although he is the future of Argentinian football, he should have been given more opportunities.
The manager also played unknown talents including Cristian Pavon and Maximiliano Meza who did impress but weren't yet ready for the challenge every single game.
The team does need change and a managerial change by bringing in a person with a new philosophy will surely help. A future possible managerial candidate has to be Argentinian and current Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.
As for Lionel Messi, the "great" Lionel Messi, there are strong rumors that he will retire from international football but he shouldn't hang up his boots just yet. He still has a lot left in the tank and should stay with the team for at least another year and target winning the Copa America 2019, and who knows in 4-years time, Messi might still be playing for Argentina in the 2022 World Cup.
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