Who is the referee for Argentina vs Mexico in the World Cup 2022 group C second game?
A defeat for any of these sides at Lusail tonight could mean the curtain coming down on the World Cup campaign in the eagerly awaited Group C fixture.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has described the Group C clash against Mexico as his nation’s “first World Cup final” as they look to bounce back from a shock opening defeat to Saudi Arabia.
The setback at Lusail Stadium was Argentina’s fourth in their last six World Cup matches (W1, D1), as many as they had in their previous 25 in the competition, with the loss bringing an end to a long unbeaten streak that sat at 36 matches.
Widely tipped among the favourites to go all the way in Qatar, Argentina now find themselves at risk of a premature exit and need a response, with Aston Villa keeper Martinez rallying the troops before Saturday’s clash at the same venue.
“We’re hurting a lot from our first defeat [in more than three years] and on top of that at the World Cup,” he said.
“We expected to play like it was a final, but we didn’t do that. After we scored the first goal we relaxed a bit and we paid for that. Saturday will be our first World Cup final.”
History is on Argentina’s side against Mexico, with the South American’s undefeated in their last 10 meetings, stretching back to the 2004 Copa America, while they have won all three previous World Cup meetings – in 1930, 2006 and 2010.
Goal shy Mexico
Scoring goals has been a problem at the World Cup for Mexico, who have failed to net in their last three matches – including a goalless draw against Poland in the opening game, where Guillermo Ochoa saved a Robert Lewandowski penalty.
The 37-year-old Ochoa, involved in his fifth World Cup, has never made it past the round-of-16 stage, with Mexico falling at that hurdle in the past seven tournaments – last reaching the quarter-finals in 1986, their home tournament.
Ochoa has enjoyed plenty of international joy with Mexico, earning 132 caps, but would trade it all to secure a quarter-final spot and equal his nation’s best-ever result at the World Cup.
“Everything, I would trade everything to get to the quinto partido (fifth game),” he said following the draw against Poland.
Victory for Mexico would hand them a big boost in the bid to reach the knockout stages and could end Argentina’s tournament, which would secure revenge for Mexico from the two sides’ last meeting at the World Cup in 2010.
ARG-MEX: match official
Italian referee Daniele Orsato has been selected by FIFA as the official for tonight’s massive Argentina v Mexico clash at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
The 47-year-old is a high profile referee on the European circuit having refereed high profile Europa and Champions League ties with the Italian becoming a FIFA official in 2010.
He was a VAR official at the 2018 Russia World Cup and oversaw the 2022 opener as Qatar faced Ecuador.
He will be assisted in Lusail by Ciro Carbone, Alessandro Giallatini with the fourth official set to be Istvan Kovacs.