Goals from Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María ensured Argentina a good lead in the first half of this World Cup final against France. Since 1998, when the European country beat Brazil, no team has managed to open more than one goal in the first half of a match.
That year, Zinédine Zidane scored two goals before 45: one at 27 and the other on the verge of stoppage time. The Europeans won the title at the opportunity, with Petit closing the score at 3-0.
This Sunday (18), Argentina started the match without knowing France, making it difficult for the European team to produce.
Messi opened the way with a penalty kick, displacing Lloris, and it was he who started the move for the second goal, in a well-arranged plot that culminated in a beautiful shot by Di María.
Since that year, World Cup decisions have gone into overtime on three occasions and resolved in normal time on the other two.
In 2002, Brazil beat Germany 2-0, but Ronaldo’s goals came in the second half. In 2006, Italy’s title came on penalties, while Spain (2010) and Germany (2014) won in overtime, 1-0, with goals from Iniesta and Götze, respectively.
France, in 2018, won the match 4-2, but the game went to halftime at 2-1.
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