There was no love and lost between the players of Argentina and the Netherlands. The ill-tempered game ended with Argentina winning the match in shootout to cement their semi-final spot in the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
The moment Lautaro Martinez sent Andries Noppert the wrong way, the Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi celebrated the Dutch players right in the face.
Otamendi 💀 pic.twitter.com/G7dbfYaww7
— B24 (@B24PT) December 9, 2022
The 34-year-old made a deliberately straightforward gesture in front of the heartbroken Dutch star. He spurred on his rivals by grabbing both ears with his hands.
Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout to keep Lionel Messi’s World Cup dream alive on Friday, after the Orange snatched a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat in an extraordinary quarter-final.
Argentina will face Croatia in the semifinals on Tuesday.
A third bench-clearing brawl of the match set the stage for Messi’s celebration as some Dutch players, distraught after coming so close to one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history, clashed with their Argentine rivals.
During the match, a total of 16 yellow cards were shown by Spanish referee Antonio Mateu and Dutch wingback Denzel Dumfries was sent off after the final whistle for his part in the final brawl.