Netherlands vs Argentina 2022 World Cup Odds, Time, and Prediction

After a shocking loss to Saudi Arabia, Argentina have started playing well. Actually, Lionel Messi has started playing amazing soccer, carrying his team all the way to the quarterfinal of the 2022 World Cup. But is that the phase in which Argentina’s Qatar adventure ends?

Bookies don’t think so, giving the role of the favorite to Messi & Co. The Dutch, however, disagree. They look like a team that holds the key to stopping Messi and to learn why that’s the case, just keep on reading our Netherlands vs Argentina preview.

Netherlands vs Argentina Odds

Match-Winner

Goals Over/Under

*Odds taken from bet365 on Wednesday, December 7.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar
• Date: Friday, December 9, 2022
• Time: 2:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: FOX/Telemundo

Do the Dutch Have an Antidote to Messi?

Without Messi, Argentina would stand no chance against the Netherlands. Their defense just isn’t good to stop the Netherlands’ attackers, not to mention that all of Argentina’s defenders are shorter than Cody Gakpo. Speaking of the 23-year-old PSV star, he’s been sensational since coming to Qatar, scoring three goals already, one of which he scored by heading the ball inside the net.

Apart from Gakpo, Argentina players also need to fear the Dutch midfield. Barca’s Frenkie de Jong has been great so far, while his colleagues from Atalanta, Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners, seem capable of helping the Netherlands establish dominance on the pitch on Friday.

Then, there’s Netherlands’ defense, which will be in the spotlight in the quarterfinal game. Right-back Denzel Dumfries is coming off an MVP-level performance in the round of 16, which saw the Inter player score one goal against the USMNT, while also making two assists. He did great offensively in that game, but against Argentina, he will have to do great defensively as well.

The same goes for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, and two Ajax’s players, Jurrien Timber and Daley Blind. They all will have to work very hard to help out their goalkeeper.

Andries Noppert is the man between the sticks, who seems like the weakest link in the Netherlands’ squad. As a reminder, the 6’8 Heerenveen goalie has made his international debut in the first round of the 2022 World Cup. So far, he’s been great, but we wonder if he can do great against Messi.

It’s All About Lionel Messi

Argentina got themselves into the quarterfinal after finishing first in Group C and beating Australia 2-1 in the round of 16. In the group stage, we saw them win two games (2-0 win over Mexico and 2-0 against Poland) and lose one (2-1 to Saudi Arabia).

In total, they’ve scored seven goals since coming to Qatar, and Lionel Messi was directly involved in four of those. He also created numerous chances for his teammates, but they failed to turn many of them into goals. This goes especially for Lautaro Martinez, an Inter striker who was supposed to be the one in charge of scoring.

A few other Argentina players have been the opposite of impressive in this tournament, including their goalie and their defensive line. They haven’t been too horrible, but on the other hand, they haven’t yet played against a team that’s as good in the offense as the Netherlands.

Netherlands vs Argentina Prediction

If the Dutch find the key to taming arguably the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, they’re going to advance to the next stage. So, can they keep the Argentine Messiah at bay? We think they can. Not only do they have one of the best defensive lines in the world, but they also have a fantastic coach.

The Netherlands national soccer team is led by 71-year-old Louis van Gaal who surely has some aces up his sleeve.

Picks: Netherlands to advance to the semi-finals