In Focus: Shootout heroes do battle as Argentina face Croatia

Two of the best performing goalkeepers at this year's World Cup will go head-to-head in tonight's semi-final in Qatar.

Argentina's Emiliano Martinez and Croatia's Dominik Livakovic were the heroes of their nations’ respective penalty shootout wins to reach this stage — and now they will have eyes on helping them go all the way.

As the two countries prepare to do battle for a place in Sunday’s final, we turn the spotlight on the in-form stoppers.

An unknown quantity

Livakovic, 27, has been hailed as something of an unlikely hero on the global stage, having spent his entire club career in his home country. 

There was debate over whether Livakovic would even be Croatia’s No1 choice between the sticks in the weeks leading up to Qatar, with Ivica Ivusic challenging for a place in the XI.

But the decision by boss Zlatko Dalic to side with the Dinamo Zagreb custodian now looks an inspired one.

Dalic's outfit were dominated for large periods against Japan in the last 16 but the experienced side managed to equalise and hold out for penalties, with their stopper producing a hat-trick of saves to win 3-1 in the shootout.

He had to be even more involved in the quarter-final against Brazil, as he made an incredible 11 saves to frustrate the tournament favourites across 120 minutes — the most stops recorded at a World Cup since United States keeper Tim Howard’s 16 against Belgium at Brazil 2014.

His seemingly unbeatable form continued in the shootout, diving the right way to deny Selecao substitute Rodrygo, with Marquinhos then decisively striking the post as Livakovic wrote himself into his nation’s history books.

After the victory, an ecstatic Livakovic said: "My whole life in football flashed before my eyes before the first penalty, emotions that I’ll never forget."

In true World Cup style, Livakovic has gone from a relative unknown to his country’s hero within the space of five days.

Magnificent Martinez

High-pressure penalties are more familiar ground for Martinez, who already endeared himself to Argentina fans by saving three spot-kicks against Colombia in last year's Copa America semi-finals, on the way to La Albiceleste lifting the trophy.

But let that take nothing away from the Aston Villa stopper’s performance to help his country come out on top of a fiery last-eight clash with the Netherlands.

A more extroverted character on the field than his opposite number tonight, the ex-Arsenal man looks born for the big stage.

Having let a two-goal lead slip out of nowhere late on against Louis van Gaal's men — with some questions over his goalkeeping for both efforts — it would have been easy for Martinez's head to drop.

But Argentina remained in the game and when penalties arrived, their No23 looked ready to make the difference again.

The 30-year-old put his team in the driving seat in the spot-kicks after saving Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk’s effort, before he guessed correctly again to keep out Steven Berghuis in the second kick as Argentina eventually emerged victorious.

It is the latest stage of an incredible journey for the 24-cap international, who was playing in League Two with Oxford in 2012 — the same year that Messi scored a record-breaking 91 goals.

Praise from the greats

While the majority of Argentina’s players ran towards Lautaro Martinez after the striker netted the winning penalty at the Lusail Stadium last Friday, captain Lionel Messi was seen heading in a different direction.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner knew Martinez’s two crucial two stops made him the hero of the hour and that was the man he set off to celebrate with once their victory was secured.

Messi has not held back previously when speaking of how highly he rates his compatriot between the sticks.

After Martinez's display against Colombia last summer, Messi said: "It was a tough game but we deserved to win. 

"We had to dig deep at times when they were coming on to us, but we have Dibu [Martinez] and he's a phenomenon. I'm really happy for him, he deserves it."

Croatia legend Luka Modric who also claimed the Ballon d’Or in 2018, has been similarly effusive in his praise for Livakovic.

The 37-year-old veteran midfielder said: "I never thought about it possibly being my last game for Croatia, because when it went to penalties I told everyone that Livakovic would save them."

More glory awaits

On the evidence of both sides’ performances in Qatar so far, tonight’s clash is set to be another cagey affair.

Disciplined Croatia have no problem going the distance, with astonishingly eight of their last nine knockout games reaching extra-time.

Argentina have one of the greatest to play the game in their ranks but have reached this stage relying on a similarly stubborn approach. 

While a crowning for veterans Messi or Modric will be the headline if either team go on to win the World Cup, the roles both stoppers have played will certainly not be forgotten.