Argentina's Nicolas Otamendi tries to score in front go his teammate Nicolas Tagliafico during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between the Netherlands and Argentina, at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar on Dec 9, 2022. (JORGE SAENZ / AP)

DOHA - Argentina play Croatia in the semi-finals of the World Cup at 3 am Wednesday (Beijing Time).

Key stats:

• Croatia are in their second consecutive World Cup semi-final after losing to France in the 2018 World Cup final. They also have a perfect record in penalty shootouts, having come out on top in all four they have contested so far in their history.

• Bruno Petkovic's 117th-minute equalizer against Brazil in the quarter-final was the latest goal Croatia have scored in a World Cup match. It was also their first shot on goal in that game.

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• Croatia will be looking to become the first back-to-back finalists since Brazil in 2002.

Croatia players react at the end of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and Brazil, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on Dec 9, 2022. (DARKO BANDIC / AP)

• Argentina captain Lionel Messi is eyeing his second World Cup final, after his team lost to Germany in 2014. The World Cup trophy is the only major title missing from his collection, which includes every big club and national team title.

• Argentina started their tournament with a defeat to Saudi Arabia but have since conceded just three goals in four matches to make it to the last four for the sixth time.

They have won the title twice, in 1978 and 1986, and have been runners-up on three occasions.

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Previous meetings:

• The teams have met twice before at a World Cup with the Croats beating the South Americans 3-0 in the group stage in 2018 after Argentina came out on top (1-0) at the same stage back in 1998.

Their overall head-to-head is evenly balanced, having played each other five times, earning two wins each and a draw.

When:  3 am (Beijing Time), Dec 14 (Wednesday)

Where: Lusail Stadium, Doha

Capacity: 88,966

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Odds (after 90 minutes)

Argentina win: 4/5

Croatia win: 9/2

Draw: 12/5