Messi slams referee after Argentina win on penalties

Lionel Messi said referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz should not have officiated Argentina's tempestuous shootout victory over the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-finals at Lusail Stadium.

Argentina won on penalties early on Saturday after a dramatic 2-2 draw in which Dutch substitute Wout Weghorst scored twice late on, including a last-gasp equaliser from a short free-kick awarded when German Pezzella shoved over Weghorst.

"After they got the draw I felt a lot of anger," said Messi. "I don't want to talk about the referee, because they immediately reprimand you or sanction you, but I think people saw what happened.

"FIFA has to review that, it can't give a referee like that a match of this importance, when they're not up to the task."

He added: "We didn't have a great game, and then the referee sent it to extra time. He was always against us. In the last play, it was not a foul."

Mateu Lahoz showed 16 yellow cards in total, with Netherlands wing-back Denzel Dumfries sent off after the penalty shootout for a second booking.

Messi had scored his fourth goal of the tournament from the spot in the 73rd minute after an earlier assist for Nahuel Molina's opener.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero, saving the Netherlands' first two penalties before Lautaro Martinez struck the winning kick.

"We didn't want extra time or penalties," said Messi. "We suffered too much because of how everything happened, but it is the quarter-finals of a World Cup.

"We knew how to suffer when it was our turn, but we got through to the semi-finals. It's beautiful, something impressive."

Van Gaal says World Cup exit on penalties 'incredibly painful'

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said his team's loss to Argentina on penalties in the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Friday was "incredibly painful".

The Dutch rallied with two late goals from Wout Weghorst to force extra time after Argentina led 2-0 through efforts from Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi, who scored from the spot.

But Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis watched in agony as their spot-kicks were saved in the shootout by Emiliano Martinez as Argentina won 4-3 on penalties, setting up a semi-final with Croatia.

"We failed to score the first two penalties so that's when things become really hard and tough. It is a matter of being lucky, a lottery," said Van Gaal.

The 71-year-old was also coach of the Netherlands when they were beaten on penalties by Argentina in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup.

"This is the second time we lost to Argentina this way. Two World Cups with the same coach for the Netherlands.

"I asked the players to train and to practise penalties, so I have nothing to reproach them for. To come back and equalise... to lose on penalties is unfortunate."

Van Gaal returned for a third spell in charge in August 2021 after undergoing treatment for aggressive prostate cancer.

The Oranje are unbeaten in 20 games under Van Gaal, including Friday's match, but he confirmed he would be stepping down from the job as planned.

"The boys are feeling despondent. They gave everything and I'm incredibly proud. I had a wonderful time," he said.

"It is incredibly painful to see how we've been eliminated because I did everything I could to prevent this."

Argentina have 'passion and heart' says 'keeper Martinez

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said "passion and heart" propelled his side into the World Cup semi-finals -- and he was delighted to bring joy to his struggling country.

Martinez was one of the heroes of the quarter-final, saving the Netherlands' first two spot kicks in the penalty shootout after the match ended 2-2 following extra time.

Argentina won the shootout 4-3 to move into a semi-final on Tuesday against Croatia, the surprise victors against Brazil.

"We are in the semi-final because we have passion and heart. We are excited, just like the people," Martinez said.

"The first thing that comes to mind is emotion. I do this for 45 million people," he added. "The country is not having a good time due to economic issues and giving joy to people is the most satisfying thing at this time."

He criticised Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, calling him "crazy and arrogant".

"You say something to him and he speaks badly to you, he gives 10 minutes (of injury time) and gives all the free kicks to the Netherlands," Martinez said.

"Because Spain were eliminated, he wanted us to be knocked out too," he added.

Spain went out to Morocco in the last 16 on Tuesday.