Argentina booked their spot in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup after edging Netherlands 4-3 on penalties on Friday evening.
Argentina had only one change as Lisandro Martinez was recalled to form part of a five-man defence while Lionel Messi supported Julian Alvarez up top. The Dutch, meanwhile, brought back Steven Bergwijn, who joined Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay in a front three.
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The game came to life midway through the first stanza after the Albiceleste talisman Messi had the first shot in anger of the match with a curling strike that sailed over the crossbar after gliding past a couple of challenges.
The Dutch had their own threats but Messi turned on the magic once more to great effect ten minutes before the interval after his threaded pass in the box was fired home by Nahuel Molina, who gave Argentina the lead.
As the game opened up, Messi had a chance to double the lead for Lionel Scaloni's charges just before the break after he latched onto a pass by Alvarez, fend off a couple of markers and unleashed a shot that was smothered by goalkeeper Andries Noppert.
Louis van Gaal's men had urgency going forward early in the second but they were quickly closed down in and around the Argentina box.
The Albiceleste looked to punish the Oranje on counter-attacks but nearly got the second goal from a free-kick shortly after the hour-mark curled just over the crossbar by Messi.
Argentina were awarded a penalty in the last 20 minutes after Denzel Dumfries caught the trailing foot of Marcos Acuna in the box, which allowed Messi to step up and give his side a two-goal lead.
Van Gaal had another throw of a dice 12 minutes before time as Wout Weghorst replaced Depay for a direct approach and the striker made an immediate impact, as he pulled a goal back for the Dutch in the closing minutes with a glancing home a header from Steven Berghuis' cross.
The Oranje camped in the half of Argentina in the dying minutes, with a staggering ten minutes of added time and Weghorst forced the game into extra-time with a low finish in the box after a clever set-piece routine from Teun Koopmeiners, who played a deft through ball from the edge of the box instead of going for goal.
There were seemingly tired legs in the early exchanges of extra-time as Argentina carved out the first chance in the tail end of the first period after Nicolas Otamendi latched onto a cross by Messi at the back post but he could not connect after arriving unmarked.
Scaloni also made a tactical change for the final 15 minutes as Angel Di Maria replaced Lisandro Martinez and Enzo Fernandez came close to snatching the winner for the Albiceleste in the dying minutes of extra-time with a curling strike in the box that was blocked off the line by Virgil Van Dijk
Fernandez came close again for Argentina in the last piece of action with a pile-driver that crashed against the post and the dreaded penalty shoot-out was required to settle the result.
The Albiceleste won the nail-biting shootout 4-3 thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who saved the first two penalties while Lautaro Martinez smashed home the winning spot-kick to set up a semi-final against Croatia.
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