Croatia is hoping that Argentina’s bad-tempered World Cup quarter-final win over the Netherlands with 16 yellow cards and one red card will not end qualification in Tuesday’s semi-final, coach Zlatko Dalic said on Monday.
Argentina eventually won on penalties after losing a two-goal lead, but the match was marred by disciplinary breaches from both sides throughout the game.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi exchanged words with Dutch coach Louis van Gaal after the final whistle, calling a Dutch player a ‘fool’.
Croatia, runners-up in 2018, have had their own taste of Argentina’s mood in the past after their group stage victory at the 2018 World Cup, with then-Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli refusing to shake Dalic’s hand.
But Delic, whose team also beat tournament favorites Brazil in a penalty shoot-out to reach the last four for a second straight World Cup, said he had no grudges.
“I understand the actors involved and the expectations were very high then (in 2018). It happens and we will have no complaints,” Dalik told a press conference on Monday.