IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE EASY PLAYING IN A MATCH LIKE THIS, WITH BOTH TEAMS HAVING THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY RESTING ON THEIR SHOULDERS. ARGENTINIAN FANS HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY HAD A HISTORICAL SCORE TO SETTLE, PLACING THAT RESPONSIBILITY FIRMLY ON THE SHOULDERS OF MESSI & CO. AND WITH THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES SEEMINGLY FEELING EXACTLY THE SAME WAY!
THE MATCH WAS EXTREMELY PHYSICAL FROM THE WORD GO, BUT ENGLAND COPED WELL WITH THE MUSCULAR STYLE OF ARGENTINIAN PLAY AND STOOD UP FOR THEMSELVES, MAKING 331 PASSES WITH AN 84% PASS ACCURACY, AND HAVING 6 SHOTS WITH 3 ON-TARGET, INCLUDING A STUNNING GOAL FROM ANTHONY GORDON AT 55 MINS., WHICH ARGENTINA SEEMED UNPREPARED FOR! AND FROM THEN-ON, AND WITH THE BACKING OF THE WRATH OF THEIR FANS, ARGENTINA WENT HELL-FOR-LEATHER TO BEAT THE THREE LIONS, SEEMINGLY, NO MATTER WHAT IT TOOK! ARGENTINA TOOK MORE POSSESSION OF THE BALL, AND PHYSICALITES INCREASED TENFOLD. THEY MADE 578 PASSES, WITH A 93% PASS ACCURACY, AND MADE 15 FOULS ON ENGLAND IN TOTAL (ENGLAND MADE 11), THEY RECEIVED 3 YELLOW CARDS, (ENGLAND RECEIVED 1), AND TOOK 64% POSSESSION OF THE BALL, MAKING 14 SHOTS WITH 6 ON-TARGET, INCLUDING TWO LATE GOALS FROM ENZO FERNANDEZ AT 85 MINS., AND LAUTARO MARTINEZ AT 90 +2 MINS., (BELOW)
MEANING THAT THE GAME ENDED IN A 2 – 1 WIN TO ARGENTINA, UPON WHICH THE PLAYERS HELD UP A BANNER IN SUPPORT OF THEIR COUNTRY’S CLAIMS TO THE FALKLAND ISLANDS! SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE SURPRISED ENGLAND LOST – DON’T BE! WE WERE LUCKY TO GET OUT OF THERE ALIVE!
ON TOP OF THAT, ENGLAND NOW HAVE TO SUFFER THE INDIGNATION OF PLAYING AGAINST FRANCE FOR A THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF! WHO WANTS TO DO THAT?
“NOBODY WANTS TO PLAY”
