LIONEL MESSI has fired his team into the quarter-finals of the World Cup as Argentina survived a late Australian fight-back.
Messi, playing in his 1,000th career game, made it 1-0 in the first half before Julian Alvarez doubled Argentina’s lead.
Craig Goodwin then got one back for the Socceroos but they held on for a 2-1 win and a place in the World Cup last eight.
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Goodnight from Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
That’s all from us – and it’s all from Australia at Qatar 2022.
The Socceroos have fought brilliantly at the World Cup, their team spirit greater than the sum of their parts.
And after escaping a group that included France, Denmark and Tunisia, they almost – almost – took Argentina to an extra half hour in the Last 16.
However, on a memorable night for Lionel Messi, the captain ended up dragging La Albiceleste through to the quarter-finals, where they will meet the Netherlands.
Two more quarter-finalists will be decided tomorrow, and we hope that they will include England, who face Senegal at 7pm.
You won’t miss a kick with us here at SunSport so join us for Three Lions action as well as the day’s earlier clash between France and Poland.
Until then, thanks for joining us and goodbye.
A majestical performance from Messi
His 1000th senior game proved to be a memorable one.
Lionel Messi scored his first ever goal in the knockout stages of the World Cup, picked up FIFA’s player of the match award, and carried his team into the quarter-finals.
- Minutes: 90
- Touches: 75
- Goals: 1
- Big chances created: 2
- Key passes: 4
- Pass accuracy: 90%
How Argentina’s two legends compare
Lionel Messi can never be compared to Maradona until he wins the World Cup is an argument that is readily trotted out by the bloke in the pub, but just how do the two Argentina greats match up?
Well, thanks to those loveable stats nerds at Opta, we have some indication; the graphic below demonstrates just how close some of their numbers actually are.
Should Messi go on and propel La Albiceleste to glory just as Diego did in ’86, then surely that would see him elevated to God-like greatness.
Credit: Opta
Extra! Read all about it!
‘The best individual display by any player at this World Cup’ was how Rio Ferdinand described it on the BBC, but how did Oscar Paul see Lionel Messi’s performance? Check out his match report of Argentina’s 2-1 victory against Australia to find out.
He left it until his 1,000th game – but boy was it worth the wait. Lionel Messi had gone seven games, 12 hours and 23 shots without scoring for Argentina in the World Cup knockouts. Christ, even Matthew Upson managed one!
Oscar Paul
A date with the Dutch
The first quarter-final of Qatar 2022 is now known, and it’s a fixture steeped in World Cup history.
Think of Argentina against the Netherlands, and you think of the Dutch thumping La Albiceleste 4-0 in Gelsenkirchen in ’74, Mario Kempes and co. gaining revenge in the final on home soil four years later, and Dennis Bergkamp, Dennis Bergkamp, Dennis Bergkamp, Dennis Bergkamp at France ’98.
The next instalment will take place in the last eight of this year’s tournament.
- Netherlands v Argentina (Friday, 7pm)
Match stats from Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
The numbers suggest a dominant Argentina display, but Australia were never out of this game until the final whistle.
Full time – Argentina 2-1 Australia
The full time whistle goes, and it’s Argentina that go through to face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
The Argentine defenders leap on Emi Martinez at the full time whistle in gratitude for saving Garang Kuol’s final kick, and denying Australia a shot at extra-time.
Who would have thought that La Albiceleste would have been so thankful for their goalkeeper when 2-0 up and cruising?
They’ll need other players to step up to help Lionel Messi if they are to go on and win the tournament, but for now they only care about celebrating their place in the last eight.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
90+7. Kuol makes space in the box! It’s a chance for Australia!
Saved by Emi Martinez at point-blank range!
The teenager goes so close to taking the game to extra-time, but the Argentina goalkeeper comes up with a big save at a big moment!
An incredible ending!
Argentina 2-1 Australia
90+5. The Argentine players are tired, but the Aussies are exhausted.
There’s so much space now that a final Argentina goal should be inevitable.
Messi, De Paul and Lautaro Martinez exchange passes before Ryan denies the latter, and the former steers the rebound wide.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
90+4. Messi almost caps his 1000th game in sublime style.
On this occasion he aims his left-footed curler from the edge of the box towards the top corner, and is only inches away.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
90+3. Leathering the ball into the middle of next week isn’t the only thing Ryan can do, he’s also a fine shot stopper.
He demonstrates as much by denying Lautaro Martinez at point-blank range after the hapless substitute was set up again by you-know-who.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
90+2. Ryan receives the ball and gives it the full welly treatment that would have Dave Bassett’s Wimbledon proud.
I think we know how Australia are going to play these final minutes.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
90. Souttar makes a nuisance of himself in the Argentina box, and it’s enough to see a foul called against him.
The defender looks as though time has run out on him, but the announcement of seven minutes stoppage time has offered renewed hope.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
88. Mooy loses possession on halfway, and Argentina have the chance to seal the tie on the break.
Messi does brilliantly, running at three defenders and then releasing at exactly the right time.
Lautaro Martinez should score, but instead spoons his effort well wide of the far post.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
86. Argentina settle down and play keep ball.
They realise all they have to do now is keep cool heads.
Argentines, of course, are well known for the keeping of cool heads…
Argentina 2-1 Australia
85. Five minutes remain.
Five minutes of normal time, that is.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
84. Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez try to usher Argentina up the field, but when each are denied by rugged defending, they throw themselves to the floor to no avail.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
82. The corner is repelled by Argentina but only as far as Hrustic outside the area.
The substitute takes a touch to steady himself, and the curls a yard over the crossbar.
Australia aren’t done here by any means.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
80. What a run! What a tackle!
An incredible solo run from Aziz Behich past four Argentina players looked to have taken him in on goal, only for a superb block from Lisandro Martinez to block his effort behind for a corner.
That would have been one of the all-time great World Cup goals had the Dundee United man managed to finish.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
79. How do Argentina play this now?
They were in complete control until that freak goal.
Argentina 2-1 Australia
77. Well, who saw this coming?
Certainly not Emiliano Martinez, who is beaten by a huge – and I mean HUGE – deflection.
Craig Goodwin’s strike from the edge of the area is going wide and over until it clatters into Enzo Fernandes to deceive the Argentina goalkeeper.
It will inevitably go down as an own-goal, but Australia don’t care. For the final 13 minutes, they have hope!
Hello!
Argentina 2-0 Australia – Australia treble substitution
73. And now a triple switch for the Aussies.
The incomers include Garang Kuol, the exciting 18-year-old forward who has already agreed a move to Newcastle in January.
Also on are Jamie Maclaren, formerly of Hibs, and Fran Karacic; off have gone Matthew Leckie, Milos Degenek and Mitchell Duke.
Argentina 2-0 Australia – Argentina double substitution
72. Lionel Scaloni makes two further changes with Marcos Acuna and, scorer of the second goal, Julian Alvarez going off.
On in their places are Nicolas Tagliafico and Lautaro Martinez.
Argentina 2-0 Australia
70. The cameras pan to Tim Cahill in the stands.
The former Australia midfielder is sitting with the two seats either side of him vacant, presumably so he can’t catch anyone with a cheeky elbow while the referee’s back is turned.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
