Sign up for Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for free
Sign up for Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez told outgoing Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal to “keep his mouth shut” after saving two penalties in an upset World Cup quarter-final win.
With Lionel Messi lighting up the Lusail Stadium with a goal and an assist, Argentina looked to be edging closer to a semi-final clash with Croatia, only for Wout Weghorst to score a brace to seal a remarkable 2- 2.
Aston Villa striker Martinez took center stage, making saves from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis as the Dutch went down 4-3 on penalties to Argentina in a repeat of the 2014 semi-final.
But after the win, Martinez hit out at both Van Gaal and referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, who struggled to keep a lid on an emotional encounter that saw more than one flashpoint between the teams.
“It was a complicated game,” Martinez told beIN Sports. “I thought we controlled the game really well. We went 2-0 up, we basically controlled the game. The referee was giving it everything for them.
“He gave 10 minutes (of stoppage time) for no reason. He gave them free kicks outside the box, like two, three times.
“I just wanted them to score, that’s basically it. So hopefully we don’t have that reference anymore. It’s pointless.”
On the Dutch coach, Martínez added: “I heard Van Gaal say: ‘We have the advantage in penalties. If we go to penalties we win.’
“I think he needs to keep his mouth shut.”
Messi also claimed that Lahoz was not up to the task of taking charge of the games.
“The tie came off a set piece that I don’t think was a foul,” he said.
“But that’s how the referee was during the game. I don’t want to talk about referees because you can get banned. I don’t think he was up to it, it was very damaging for us.”
Messi produced a moment of magic to break the deadlock, playing Nahuel Molina with a no-look back pass before doubling the lead with a second-half penalty.
But it was Weghorst’s presentation that sparked a return as unexpected as it was brilliant.
The big forward brilliantly headed Berghuis’ cross and then, when a free-kick was awarded at the last minute, instead of shooting, Teun Koopmeiners flicked a pass into the box, where Weghorst held on his marker to tie, a move that Van Gaal revealed. the striker was introduced to the squad and had worked in training.
Captain Van Dijk and Berguis saw the first two penalties saved by Martínez.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernández then fired over, but Lautaro Martínez hit the winner.
Unlike his captain or goalkeeper, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni refused to discuss the performance of the referee, who showed 15 yellow cards during a game Scaloni described as “heated”.
The defeat was Van Gaal’s first since returning for a third spell in charge of the Netherlands, with the 71-year-old now stepping down as manager for a second time.
“At the end of the day I think the scoreline was very accurate and in extra time we didn’t give away any chances,” he said, having also been in the dugout in the 2014 defeat.
“This was my last match. My third term as coach. In that time I coached 20 games but didn’t lose a single one. I think Google is where you can look it up.
“I had a great time and yes, it’s incredibly painful to see how we got eliminated. Especially since I did everything I could to prevent that from happening.”