BEN MEMULETIWON
How are the mighty fallen! Tears must be flowing in the streets of Buenos Aires and other major cities in Argentina right now as their darling team crashed to a 3-0 defeat to giants killer Croatia.
Football legend Diego Maradona gave football viewers all over the world a dose of what must have happened in Argentina as he wept like a baby at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium even as Lionel Messi’s World Cup woes continued. Messi cut a picture of an isolated star all the 90 minutes duration of the match and was unable to rouse his colleagues in the closing stages, leaving them in danger of needing a win against Nigeria in the last match and a swing in goal difference to reach the knockout stages.
All eyes were on Lionel Messi before the game but once again, he was a shadow of the player that has starred for Barcelona and won the Ballon d’Or five times.
Signs of imminent defeat started showing when Willy Caballero’s clanger presented Ante Rebic with an opportunity he could not refuse, and Croatia rolled on to a stunning 3-0 victory. that sent them into the last 16 of the World Cup.
Jorge Sampaoli’s side produced an abysmal second-half display that severely damages their hopes of following Croatia out of Group D, with Caballero’s stray pass to Gabriel Mercado that was volleyed home by Ante Rebic in the 53rd minute proving the turning point.
Any hopes of a late Argentina fightback were extinguished 10 minutes from closing time as the irrepressible Luka Modric whipped a fine strike into the bottom-right corner from just outside the penalty area.
Argentina had all but given up by the closing stages and they were punished further in stoppage time when Ivan Rakitic tapped in from close range with barely a defender in sight.