Netherlands vs Argentina Predictions

• The Netherlands haven’t lost in their 19 games since Louis van Gaal returned as manager
• Argentina have won their last three games despite putting in poor performances in each
• The South American side have been beaten by European opposition in their last nine exits from the World Cup knockouts
• The Dutch have lost only one of their last nine clashes with Argentina, the 1978 final in Buenos Aires

Old foes lock horns

This is set to be the sixth time these two sides have met at a World Cup, with Germany the only side Argentina have met more often at the tournament. However, that doesn’t bode well for Lionel Messi and co. given that the Netherlands have lost just one of their nine meetings with Argentina in all competitions.

That one defeat came in the 1978 World Cup final, which was held in Argentina. Outside of that, the Dutch have thrived in this fixture, including a quarter-final win over their South American rivals at France ’98. Can they repeat the trick and end Lionel Messi’s hopes of winning the World Cup?

Argentina need to shape up

The opening 45 minutes against Saudi Arabia were arguably Argentina’s best 45 minutes at this tournament. They were dominant in that game until the Saudis shocked them in the second half. Since then, Argentina have won three from three without playing well. They got fortunate against Mexico, played a Poland side who offered nothing and then scraped by Australia in the last round.

Argentina have looked disjointed in each of their last three games, seemingly missing the link-up between the injured Giovanni Lo Celso and Messi. Instead, the PSG star has been forced to force the issue himself. While a player of that quality can carry them so far, this quarter-final pits them against a well-functioning team.

The contrast between the pair’s last 16 games paints a clear picture. Argentina scored through Messi’s brilliance and an error from the Australian keeper. The Dutch scored their first goal against the USA from a 20-pass move, during which they went wing-to-wing then end-to-end before Memphis Depay fired home. Even Messi will struggle to single-handedly stop a team as good as the Netherlands.

History sides with Dutch

Another advantage for the Netherlands comes in the dugout, where they pit the experience of Louis van Gaal against Argentina’s young coach Lionel Scaloni. After 11 games in charge of the Dutch at the World Cup, van Gaal remains unbeaten with eight victories to his name. He hasn’t lost since returning to the job last year, while Scaloni has struggled to find answers with Lo Celso’s injury scuppering their plan A.

The South American champions have yet to prove that the gap between them and Europe’s best has closed. Since losing to Uruguay in the 1930 final, each of Argentina’s last nine eliminations from the World Cup knockout rounds have come against European sides. They’ve also been eliminated from three of their last four World Cup quarter-final ties.

The Netherlands have progressed from their last three World Cup quarter-final matches, including under van Gaal’s watch in 2014. With the side unbeaten in 19 games, they can at the very least hold the Dutch at bay. Van Gaal’s side have won eight of their last 10 matches, scoring twice in eight of those, so back them for a 2-1 victory.

Getting Depay back is another boost for the Dutch, having worked his way back into the starting lineup after overcoming injury. Depay  has been involved in 34 goals in his last 30 appearances for the Netherlands in all competitions, scoring 24 times. After his strike against the USA, he’s a great option to score anytime in this quarter-final.

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