Argentina vs Croatia: How big a blow is Marcos Acuna's absence?
Football fans couldn't take their eyes off of Friday's second quarter-final meeting. The Netherlands and Argentina played out a World Cup classic as the pair went the distance at the Lusail Iconic Stadium. It was a gripping contest that no neutral fan wanted to end, so when Wout Weghorst popped up with the equaliser, a wonderful well-worked free-kick deep into second half injury time, the football world rejoiced at an extra 30 minutes of game time between these two iconic teams.
Of course, tournament football is ruthless, and there can only be one winner in the knockout stage, and as Lautaro Martinez smashed past Andries Noppert to set up a semi-final meeting with Croatia, the Netherlands players at the centre circle sunk to the floor as their Argentine counterparts wheeled away in delight. In Lionel Messi's swansong, they want to win the World Cup, more for themselves and their country of course, but also for their iconic captain.
They'll need to get the better of penalty shootout maestros Croatia, of course, and they'll need to do so without Marcos Acuna this week. There were a number of scuffles in the win over the Netherlands, with Antonio Mateu Lahoz dishing out more than a dozen yellow cards in the heated encounter, with Acuna working his way into Lahoz's book shortly before half time.
Unfortunately for Argentina, that was Acuna's second yellow of the 2022 World Cup, and that means he is suspended for the semi-final meeting with Croatia. The Sevilla star wasn't first choice at left-back at the start of the tournament, with Nicolas Tagliafico starting the 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, but having tinkered with his personnel for the eventual 2-0 win over Mexico in Argentina's second group stage game, Lionel Scaloni has stuck with Acuna as first choice in the position throughout La Albiceleste's progression to this stage of the competition.
Now Scaloni needs to tinker with a winning setup with a place in the World Cup final up for grabs. Acuna isn't the only Argentine suspended for Tuesday's meeting with Croatia, with Gonzalo Montiel joining him on the naughty step, but the former's absence is a big blow.
Scaloni has ultimately favoured a 4-3-3 setup in Qatar, swapping to the system for wins over Poland and Australia, and it's a formation that helps bring out the best in Messi. With the wingers looking to cut infield, Scaloni needs his full-backs to provide width down the flanks in order to stretch opponents, and this allows Argentina to dominate. Acuna is up and down the left wing like a yo-yo, utilising the space that is vacated when the left winger does break infield, and has the defensive awareness to work back to ensure Argentina aren't caught out.
As such, it's no susprise that only Angel Di Maria (2.1) is making more accurate crosses per 90 than Acuna (1.1) of all Argentina players at the World Cup, a trait of Acuna's that is a WhoScored strength of his. While the approach is yet to yield an assist, in throwing the ball into the box, it does cause chaos in the opposition penalty area, and with the likes of Di Maria, Messi and Julian Alvarez all impressing in the final third, the trio, among others, can capitalise on the bedlam to hit the back of the net.
Opponents have clearly identified Acuna as a man to stop in order to limit Argentina's attack, but even so, he has held his own. Indeed, he is being dispossessed just 0.3 times per 90, and he is evidently on the receiving end of frustrated markers, with only Messi (3) fouled more times per 90 than Acuna (2.5) of all Argentina players to register at least 150 minutes of World Cup action. Given four of Argentina's nine goals at the World Cup have been from either set-pieces or penalties, his ability to draw fouls has proven an effective route to goal. He is, after all, one of three Argentina players to have won a penalty at Qatar 2022.
By comparison, Tagliafico won't offer the same attacking output down the left. The Lyon defender is yet to complete a dribble, nor has he attempted a cross, so it's no surprise that Argentina's left looks significantly weaker in the final third when Acuna isn't involved. Viewed as the more defensive minded of the two options at Scaloni's disposal, Tagliafico to his credit is averaging a respectable two tackles per 90, and is yet to be dribbled past.
However, Acuna can better the tackle return, chipping in with 2.8 tackles per 90, and is one of six players of the 66 to have attempted 10 or more tackles in Qatar to garner a success rate of 100%. Given the desire to bombard up field, Acuna has the energy levels to get back into position and, impressively, not allow an opponent to get the better of him.
Tuesday's semi-final meeting with Croatia will be a testing encounter. Croatia have the elite mentality to grind opponents down and, given their penalty shootout success - they have won all four shootouts they've been involved in at the World Cup - there is a plan in place to drag this match out and, ultimately, force Argentina to go the distance. Had Acuna been available, then Scaloni and co. would have had a much better chance of beating Croatia inside 120 minutes, at the very least. Without their No. 8 patrolling the left flank, their quest for a World Cup final spot becomes significantly harder.
