Messi happy to qualify for semifinals
After a thrilling penalty shootout against the Netherlands, Lionel Messi acknowledged that his team had endured to advance to the world cup semifinals. Messi added, "We are incredibly thrilled. We endured a lot, but it's a world cup quarterfinal, and we suffered what we had to suffer to qualify. According to Xinhua, Messi was the star of the game after assisting Nahuel Molina for the game's first goal and scored Argentina's second penalty with only 17 minutes remaining.
Before a late Dutch comeback saw Wout Weghorst score in the 83rd and 10th minute of injury time to force extra time and penalties, the game appeared to be finished. We approach every game with the same passion and desire to succeed. We want to be the heroes. We are incredibly excited and want to win. We need this happiness for ourselves and for everyone who supports us, he said. The Dutchman's second equaliser enraged the striker, who claimed that Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz had added too much extra time.
People saw what happened, and he said, "FIFA have to look at that. They can't put in a referee who isn't up to the job at this stage. I felt really angry at the late goal. I don't want to talk about the referee, because you can get a suspension, but people saw what happened.