(Reuters) – Argentina play the Netherlands at the World Cup in Lusail, Qatar on Friday.
When: Friday, Dec. 9, 2200 local (1900 GMT/1400 ET)
Where: Lusail Stadium, Lusail
Capacity: 88,966
Odds:
Argentina win: 6/5
Netherlands win: 13/5
Draw: 21/10
Key stats:
* This will be the sixth World Cup meeting between the two countries, the first being a 4-0 win for the Dutch in Gelsenkirchen in 1974 and the last two having ended goalless in Frankfurt in 2006 and Sao Paulo in 2014.
* The Netherlands are on a 19-match unbeaten run since elimination from the European Championship last year while Argentina have bounced back from defeat in their opening match in Qatar to Saudi Arabia, which ended their stretch of 36 internationals without defeat.
* Argentina’s first World Cup success in 1978 came at the expense of the Dutch in the final as Mario Kempes scored twice and the home side won 3-1 after extra time. Argentina also won the 1986 World Cup, while the Dutch have been runners-up three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2010.
* Lionel Messi has scored nine goals in 23 matches at the World Cup, spanning five editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022) and is one behind Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s top scorer in the tournament
* The Netherlands have lost two of three previous penalty shootout contests at the World Cup, in 1998 to Brazil and 2014 to Argentina. Their lone success was against Costa Rica in 2014.
Previous meetings: The Netherlands have lost only one of the previous nine games against Argentina – the 1978 World Cup final in Buenos Aires – though they have been beaten in a shootout on two occasions. The two countries played out a goalless draw in their last meeting in Sao Paulo in the 2014 semi-final after which Argentina won on penalties.
(Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
