ARGENTINA have topped Group C with victory over Poland, who also make it into the last-16 by the skin of their teeth.
Lionel Messi missed a penalty in the first-half after a VAR intervened to send the referee over to the monitor.
After review, the man in the middle decided that Wojciech Szczesny impeded the forward, but the goalkeeper made up for his error and pulled off a fantastic save to deny Messi.
However, just moments after the restart, Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister fired his side into the lead.
Man City star Julian Alvarez netted a second to give the South Americans a comfortable lead.
At one point, Mexico and Poland were level on points, goals scored, goals against, and head-to-head record… So it was set to go to fair play (with Poland having the better record) to decide who proceed before a late Saudi Arabia goal secured qualification for Poland.
- Start time: 7pm UK
- TV: BBC One
- Live stream: BBC iPlayer
- Group C: LIVE TABLE
- Poland XI: Szczesny, Glik, Kiwior, Cash, Bereszynski, Krychowiak, Zielinski, Bielik, Frankowski, Swiderski, Lewandowski
- Argentina XI: Martinez, Romero, Otamendi, Molina, De Paul, Acuna, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Di Maria, Alvarez, Messi
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We’re starting to see why Argentina were so highly rated heading into this tournament.
They’ve now completed their redemption from that horror opening defeat to Saudi Arabia.
Argentina showed signs of improvement last weekend against Mexico but they blew Poland away tonight.
Lionel Messi was fantastic despite his first half penalty miss – he carries the weight of a nation on his shoulders and he continues to inspire his team to victory after victory.
However, it must be said that Poland were awful tonight.
They seemingly came into the game not with the idea of winning, but with a plan to avoid a heavy defeat and in the end they just about managed it.
It’s no wonder that Robert Lewandowski scores so rarely in World Cups if his team always plays as negatively as they did tonight.
Argentina progress into the last 16 as group winners and will face off against one of the World Cup’s surprise packages, Australia.
Poland, meanwhile, face the daunting task of a trip to the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium to play a France team that rested most of their key players earlier on today.
Until then, all that’s left for me to say is thank you for joining us and I’ll speak to you next time!
I’m off to buy a couple of Argentina bobble heads.
Alexis Mac Allister
The Brighton and Argentina forward on today’s performance and how the team handled the defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening game.
I’m happy because it was a convincing performance. We were looking for the goal at all times. I think we went back to being the team we used to be. We handled the ball more, we were calm and we didn’t despair. We played a great game.
The first match was a blow that caught us in time. We started to trust the group a little more. We went back to being the same team we used to be. We didn’t despair.
Alexis Mac Allister
Messi quotes
Lionel Messi has been giving his thoughts on today’s victory and the challenges ahead.
With anger for having missed the penalty, but the team came out stronger after that mistake of mine. We knew that, once the first goal went in, it was going to change the game.
The match with Australia is going to be very difficult. Anyone beats anyone, everything is very even. We have to prepare the game in the best way we always do.
We must be calm and go game by game. Now another World Cup begins and hopefully we can continue to maintain what we did today.
Lionel Messi
Julian Alvarez
Lionel Scaloni chose to trust his young forward today and it more than worked out for him.
Alvarez was outstanding from start to finish and perhaps should have scored more than his solitary goal.
Lautaro Martinez replaced Alvarez for the last 10 minutes and his wastefulness in front of proved why his manager had overlooked him for a starting spot.
Alvarez has surely cemented his place up top for the Australia game on Saturday night.
Lewandowski
Poland’s front man was very isolated tonight.
The game plan seemed to be to knock the ball long for him and hope he does something special.
France will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing them in the next round.
Match stats
27 percent possession and zero shots on target for Poland tonight.
Not good.
Magical Messi
Argentina’s talisman was outstanding tonight.
He may have missed a penalty in the first half but he tormented Poland during the second 45.
He’s got the bit between his teeth at the moment.
Can he carry Argentina through to the final again as he did in 2014?
Inside the stadium
SunSport’s Martin Lipton in Qatar:
Half the Polish squad were staring at a mobile phone, watching the delayed last few seconds of the other game.
That whistle at Lusail brought a jig of pure joy at Stadium 974.
Hugs, clasped hands, thrill.
And then the realisation, perhaps, that it’s France on Sunday.
Good luck lads.
Martin Lipton
Poland through
It’s full time in the other game and Mexico are out.
Poland are through and will face France in the last 16.
Some reward, that!
Inside the stadium
SunSport’s Martin Lipton in Qatar:
Now they know.
That Saudi goal has, surely, put them through.
Celebrations, punching the air, in the stands and on the pitch.
No defeat has ever been celebrated more like a victory.
Unless Mexico get a third, of course.
Still standing around..Martin Lipton
Goal for Saudi Arabia
Salem Al Dawsari has scored for Saudi Arabia against Mexico.
That all but confirms Poland’s progress into the last 16.
Inside the stadium
SunSport’s Martin Lipton in Qatar:
This is like nothing I’ve ever witnessed – although maybe because I was at Anfield in 1995 and The Etihad 17 years later, rather than watching United on the final day.
Final whistle brings more glory choruses from the Argentine fans.
But the Poles do not know where to look or what to think.
They’re utterly, utterly exhausted. Spent.
And waiting, waiting, waiting…Martin Lipton
Full Time: Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
It’s full time here and Argentina have won the group.
It just remains to be seen whether Poland will join them in the knockout rounds.
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
90+6, Just seconds remaining now.
The game between Saudi Arabia is a few minutes behind this one so we’ll have to stick around to find out if Poland have snuck into the last 16.
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
90+5, Messi has just mugged off Lewandowski on the halfway line.
Lewandowski has a few goes at trying to steal the ball from the great man but just ends up fouling him.
Barcelona’s past and present coming up against each other there.
Inside the stadium
SunSport’s Martin Lipton in Qatar:
Six minutes will feel like torture for the Poles.
So near – despite deserving nothing – yet potentially so far.
This Argentine party doesn’t sound like it’s ever going to stop, though. Fair enough.
Their side has bossed this from the first kick and should have won by far more.
Martin Lipton
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
93, Kiwior clears off the line!
The Poland defender heads Tagliafico’s chip off the line to keep his country in the World Cup….for now!
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
90+1, We’re into the first of 6 minutes of time added on at the end of the game.
Argentina are just popping the ball to each other while Poland stand around and watch them do it.
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
90, As there’ s nothing much happening in this game, enjoy this great photo of Lewandowski trying to keep up with Messi tonight.
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
88, The intensity has understandably fallen out of this match in the closing stages.
The result in this game is beyond doubt but Poland’s World Cup hopes are on a knife-edge.
Will we see some late drama here?
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
85, And that’s way Lautaro Martinez was dropped for this game.
He’s one-on-one with the goalkeeper but rolls his shot a few yards wide of the post.
Poland let out a sigh of relief.
They’d have been out of the World Cup had that gone in.
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
82, Krychowiak is coming off for Poland – they can’t afford for him to get a red or they’ll be out!
Piatek comes on in his place.
Argentina are also making another change as Mac Allister makes way for Thiago Almada.
Inside the stadium
SunSport’s Martin Lipton in Qatar:
Party Central for the Argentine fans.
This could be Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mar del Plata or anywhere else.Certainly it’s not the sort of racket they get in Doha very often.
It’s an incredible situation, too.
Four years ago in Russia, Japan played out the last few minutes of their final group game knowing they were ahead of Senegal in the other game on yellow cards.
Beyond dangerous mind. Especially when Krychowiak’s careless foul on half-way means the gap is just two cautions now.
One silly mistake and a red….and they’d be out.
Martin Lipton
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
78, Lionel Scaloni makes two more changes to La Abiceleste.
Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez make way for Lautaro Martinez and German Pezzella.
Poland 0 – 2 Argentina
78, A yellow card for Poland…
Krychowiak goes into the book for a pull back on Mac Allister.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
