FIFA are reportedly set to punish both Argentina and the Netherlands after their fiery FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash on Friday.
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One of the global showpiece's most hotly contested rivalries lived up to expectations when La Albiceleste were able to thwart the Flying Dutchmen to progress to the World Cup semi-finals.
Argentina's win over their European counterparts on the weekend was not without controversy as the two sides were embroiled in heated exchanges multiple times throughout the night.
An astonishing 18 yellow cards were brandished by referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz during the encounter, and FIFA has since released a statement confirming they will be launching an investigation following the match report handed to them.
"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association due to potential breaches of articles 12 (Misconduct of players and officials) and 16 (Order and security at matches) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code," the statement read, per the Daily Mail."Additionally, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Dutch Football Association due to potential breaches of article 12 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in relation to the same match."
Investigations of this nature are routine when a team receives five or more yellow cards in a match, meaning that both sides will likely be fined by the world football's governing body once they reach a definitive conclusion on the matter.
Argentina shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez was not a fan of the officiating in the match, to say the least.
"The referee [Lahoz] was just giving everything for them," Martinez, who saved two penalty kicks during the match's shootout, said.
"All of a sudden, they get a good header, a good flick, which I couldn't see and then it just turned upside down.
"The referee gave 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."
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Argentina are now preparing to face Croatia for a place in the global showpiece's final this coming Sunday.
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