FLASH
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Going into half-time trailing in a World Cup semi-final has almost always been fatal. World Cup history shows that turning the tables at this stage of the tournament is an incredibly difficult mission.
According to official data, only two national teams have managed to secure qualification for the final after ending the first half at a disadvantage.
The first case dates back to the 1990 World Cup, when Argentina faced Italy. The home team took the lead through a goal by Salvatore Schillaci, but the Argentines reacted in the second half, equalized the score and then triumphed after penalty kicks, booking their ticket to the final.
The next historic upset came at the 2018 World Cup. Croatia started at a disadvantage against England after a quick goal by their opponents, but managed to get back into the game. Ivan Perišić equalized, while Mario Mandžukić scored the winning goal in extra time, sending the Croats to their first ever final.
This statistic highlights how crucial the first 45 minutes are in a World Cup semi-final. In the vast majority of cases, the team that goes into half-time at a disadvantage fails to overturn the result and is eliminated from the final.
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