Β© Reuters
The match will start at 5 o'clock, which the whole world has been waiting for 4 years.
In the final of the 2022 World Cup, Argentina and France national teams will face each other.
The Argentine national team started the championship with an unexpected failure. In the C group match, Lionel Scaloni's players fell 1:2 against the Saudi Arabian national team.
After this match, the football world could see a completely different Argentine national team. The Argentinians won the next two group matches convincingly - 2:0 against Mexico and 2:0 against Poland, advancing to the knockout stages from the first place in Group C.
In the quarter-finals, the South American champions defeated Australia 2:1, in the semi-finals after an 11-meter penalty shootout, they managed to beat the Netherlands, and in the semi-final match, the Croatian footballers were defeated 3:0.
The reigning world champions France had an easy path to the final.
Didier Deschamps' players practically secured the first place in Group D after the first two matches, when they defeated Australians 4:1 and beat the Danes 2:1. In the third match, they had to admit defeat to Tunisia 0:1, but this loss had no significant impact.
In the quarter-finals, France convincingly beat Poland 3:1, in the semi-finals after a tough battle they managed to beat England (2:1), and in the semi-final match, the world champions defeated Morocco 2:0.
Live Match Broadcast
You can watch the World Cup final live on LRT television or on the lrt.lt website.
Match Progress:
The final started cautiously. However, the Argentine national team was more active.
In the 23rd minute, Argentina took the lead with Lionel Messi, who accurately converted the penalty from the 11-meter mark, which referee Szymon Marciniak awarded after a foul against Angel Di Maria in the penalty area by Ousmane Dembele.
After the first missed goal, the French did not recover. In the 36th minute, the Argentinians doubled the score after a stunning attack. Angel Di Maria, in the midst of the attack, defeated Hugo Lloris.
Not willing to accept his team's passivity, Didier Deschamps made the first substitutions already in the 41st minute. Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele left the field, replaced by Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram.
In the first half of the second half, the French national team also did not look convincing. Yet, scoring two in a couple of minutes, Kylian Mbappe extended the game to extra time.
In the 80th minute, the PSG forward was accurate from the 11m mark, and a few minutes later equalized the score with a great strike from the air.
The French team had several opportunities to extend their victory during the main time, but failed to do so, and both teams headed to extra time.
In the first part of extra time, Lautaro Martinez had two excellent chances to score, but the selfless actions of the French defenders blocked the way for the Inter forward.
In the 108th minute, it seemed that Lionel Messi had secured the victory for the Argentine national team. L. Martinez's shot was saved by Hugo Lloris, but the Argentine leader sent the ball past the goal line.
However, in the 118th minute, Kylian Mbappe converted another penalty kick and extended the penalty shootout. The penalty was awarded for Gonzalo Montiel's handball.
In the final minutes, both teams had at least one good opportunity to score the deciding goal, but they failed to do so.
Starting Lineups:
After recovering from injury, Angel Di Maria will start the final in the starting lineup. Remember, it was his goal that determined the Argentine victory in the Copa America final, where L. Scaloni's players beat Brazil 1-0.
However, there was a last-minute change in the South American champions' lineup. Nicolas Tagliafico, who played well in the left-back position during the semi-finals, was replaced by Marcos Acuna.
π¨ Argentina’s starting lineup! @gastonedul π¦π· pic.twitter.com/ZxbiZfhWb0
— All About Argentina ππ¦π· (@AlbicelesteTalk) December 18, 2022
(π) Tagliafico is starting instead of Acuña!! @gastonedul π¨π¦π·
— All About Argentina ππ¦π· (@AlbicelesteTalk) December 18, 2022
There are no absences in the French lineup. After recovering from illness, Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano return to the starting eleven.
France XI vs Argentina: Lloris - Koundé, Varane, Upamecano, T.Hernandez - Griezmann, Tchouaméni, Rabiot - O.Dembélé, Mbappé, Giroud.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 18, 2022
