Emi Martinez proved the hero for Argentina once again
(Picture: Getty Images)Argentina hero Emiliano Martinez advised Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal to "keep his mouth shut" and described the referee as "useless" after their bad-tempered quarter-final win.
Martinez saved two spot-kicks as Argentina won a pulsating game on penalties to set up a semi-final with Croatia, back at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night.
Their 4-3 win in the shootout followed an exhausting 2-2 draw after 90 minutes, involving more than one mele between the sides as Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz dished out no fewer than 17 yellow cards and struggled to maintain control of the tie.
Dutch substitute Wout Weghorst equalised in the 11th minute of stoppage-time with his second goal of the game as Van Gaal’s side fought back from 2-0 down following goals from Nahuel Molina and a Lionel Messi penalty.
Weghorst headed home Berguis’ cross to make it 2-1 with seven minutes of the 90 remaining before his late, late intervention from an audacious short free-kick by Teun Koopmeiners.
“It was a tricky game. I thought we controlled the game really well. We went 2-0 up, basically we controlled the game. The ref was just giving everything for them. All of a sudden they get a good header, a good flick, which I couldn’t see and then it just turned upside down," said Aston Villa goalkeeper Martinez.
"The ref was giving everything for them. He gave 10 minutes [added time] for no reason. He was giving free-kicks outside the box for them, like two, three times.
"He just wanted them to score, that’s basically it. So, hopefully we don’t have him that ref anymore. He’s useless."
Martinez saved Argentina’s first two penalties from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis, with the Villa ‘keeper more effective than his opposite number, the 6-foot-8-inch Andries Nopper.
“I heard Van Gaal saying: ‘We’ve got an advantage in penalties, if we go to penalties we win.’ I think he needs to keep his mouth shut," Martinez added.
Messi lit up the first half with a stunning assist for Molina before scoring his 10th World Cup goal from the penalty spot after a foul by Denzel Dumfries, who was shown two yellow cards after the shootout in chaotic scenes.
