Incredibly enough, that was Leo Messi's first goal during a World Cup knockout game, in the 1000th match of his career. With this goal, his ninth in the World Cup overall, he surpassed Diego Maradona's eight as the top scorer for Argentina at the World Cup and is only behind Gabriel Batistuta (10). The second half started with an unexpected change a few minutes after the game restarted with Argentina's coach Scaloni replacing striker Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez with defender Lisandro Martinez. Argentina started to play with a three-back defense and definitely played better soccer in the second half creating way more chances.
They want more options from their midfielders as they look to launch attacks. You've got to say Australia will be happy with the first 15 minutes here. 7:13PM 12 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Alavarez works a nice one-two with De Paul and breaks into the Australian half. His run takes him all the way into the box but he's closed down well before he can get a shot away. 7:11PM 10 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Australia are so deep here that when they win the ball back there's nowhere to go. They have to be disciplined and sitting deep is part of that but giving the ball away in their own half is a recipe for disaster against Messi and co. 7:09PM 8 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Baccus goes in heavily on Messi and Argentina are awarded a free kick. It's clear, even at this stage, that the Aussies aren't going to let the great man settle early.
Australia's main concern Australia can't quite live with Argentina in attack. They just don't have the same attacking ability and come second-best in virtually every attacking metric - registering fewer shots on target (seven to 20), creating fewer chances (15 to 32), completing fewer take-ons (nine to 22) and, most crucially, scoring fewer goals (three to five). They need a very concrete defensive game if they want to have chances against Argentina's strikers on Saturday. Starting XILionel Scaloni decided to bench again striker Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez will start the match against Australia. Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez will also start alongside Lionel Messi in the attacking three line with Angel Di Maria out injured.
7:22PM 21 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Argentina are clearly willing to take their time here but this game is being played at a very comfortable pace for the Aussies at present. Makes you wonder where the pace is in this Argentina team... 7:21PM 18 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Australia get their first sniff of the Argentina box as left-back Behich drives into the area. He gets all the way down to the byline but leaves the cut back too long and Argentina quell any danger.
8:57PM FULL TIME: Argentina 2-1 Australia Argentina will face the Netherlands next Friday in the quarter-finals. 8:56PM 90+6 min: Argentina 2-1 Australia Finally Australia have their chance! Kuol turns Martinez at the back post and has a chance to level it but Martinez (Emi this time) makes a huge save. Credit: Reuters 8:54PM 90+4 min: Argentina 2-1 Australia Beautiful work again from Messi, who plays a lovely one-two with Martinez but the striker can't score with his fourth shot in the space on ten minutes. 8:52PM 90+2 min: Argentina 2-1 Australia Martinez has a third chance to score but this time Ryan is out to make a big save. Moments later, Messi looks to put the icing on the cake with a whipped left-footed shot but he can't keep it down.
Australia had been a team so much greater than the sum of their parts. But now it's surely over for them. 8:23PM 64 min: Argentina 2-0 Australia Argentina are oozing confidence now and there's hug cheers from their faithful as Messi dances out of his own half while leaving a couple of defenders for dead. He can't quite get a shot away to finish off a dazzling run. 8:20PM 60 min: Argentina 2-0 Australia That's the first time Argentina have attempted to properly press and it led to a goal. Food for thought perhaps.
They have brought such soul to this World Cup pic. twitter. com/Wt0FpS25ci— Oliver Brown (@oliverbrown_tel) December 3, 2022 Apt on a day like this 18 - Aged 18 years and 79 days, Garang Kuol is the youngest player to play in the knockout stages of the World Cup since Pelé in 1958 (17 years, 249 days). Double-take. pic. com/ZCCPopK0UR— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) December 3, 2022 9:30PM Do you agree? In his closing comments on BBC Sport, Rio Ferdinand called Messi's display the best individual performance we've seen a the World Cup so far. What do you reckon? Let us know in the comments below. 9:26PM Read Jason Burt on Messi's magic Vamos Messi. His 1, 000th appearance was memorable. But it is his 1, 003rd that he will be dreaming of 9:24PM Post match reaction Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez on Australia: "Today we suffered, they pressed very high. Out of nothing, they scored and it was a bit of an uphill for us.
World Cup 2022 result: Argentina advance to quarterfinals as Lionel Messi scores in win over AustraliaLeo Messi scored the opening goal of the match. Dec 3, 2022 at 4:07 pm ET • 1 min read Getty Images Lionel Messi's last chance to win the World Cup is still alive after Argentina won 2-1 in the first knockout game against Australia to set up a quarterfinal date with the Netherlands Friday at 2 p. m. ET.
Goals and Highlights: Argentina 2-1 Australia in FIFA World
7:19PM 17 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Messi whips a quick pass wide to Gomez who cuts in on his right foot looking for a shot. He makes just enough room but cant keep it down. That's still rising as it leaves the camera shot and is very much into row Z. 7:16PM 15 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia There are gesticulations from both Otamendi and Romero in the heart of Argentina's defence.
9:11PM Sorry to be a party pooper I'm going to go out on limb and say the Netherlands will beat Argentina. Messi and co have been made to work very hard to get past some ordinary sides thus far and this will be the first time they come up against a team of genuine top-quality. Messi is the ace in the pack but I fancy the Dutch. Mind you I said there was no way Australia were getting back in this game tonight so what do I know... 9:07PM I very much second this If Argentina get through it will all be about Messi and how well Australia have done but Lisandro Martinez has been incredible since he came on— Jason Burt (@JBurtTelegraph) December 3, 2022 9:06PM Excellent second half A game which lacked dynamism in the first half came alive in the second.
Lionel Messi Scores to Give Argentina 1-0 Lead Over Australia
Argentina beat Australia 2-1, advance to face Netherlands in
7:35PM GOOOOAAAALLLLLL It's Messi..... It comes from a free kick on the right. Messi starts a neat move on the edge of the box and picks up a cushioned ball from Alvarez before calmly placing the ball into the bottom left corner of the net. Ryan can do nothing. Argentina lead and milestone prophecy for Messi has been fulfilled.
I'm going to say it, Australia are on top here. 7:26PM 24 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Australia earn a corner after a decent move begins with their gloriously bald lynchpin Aaron Mooy. They are just starting to grow into this in an attacking sense. More of the ball means more confidence. Not very much of a press apparent from the Argentinians when out of possession.
Argentina vs Australia, World Cup 2022 live: Messi scores
It's straight at Ryan though, who claims it gratefully. 8:09PM 49 min: Argentina 1-0 Australia Early substitution for Argentina and it's a strange one. Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United replaces Papu Gomez. Defender for attacker... Surely a change of shape. 8:07PM 47 min: Argentina 1-0 Australia Early pace is similar to the first half although Australia are deploying a notably higher line. A risky ploy but one they need to take if they want to get back in this one. 8:05PM 45 min: Argentina 1-0 Australia We're underway in the second half. Which way will this one go? 8:04PM Half-time entertainment The crowds during the England vs Wales were wowed by the legend that is Chesney Hawkes at half-time. Today? Republica...
7:34PM Telling.... 7:32PM 31 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia On two or three occasions now Messi has picked the ball up in dangerous areas before being very quickly closed down by Mooy and Baccus. He simply can't get into this game at present but that has as much to do with the Aussie work rate as anything else. 7:31PM 30 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia An excellent corner heads straight towards Harry Souttar, who gets there first but Otomendi does just enough to put the big centre back off. Argentina need to inject some urgency into this game before Australia beat them to the punch. 7:29PM 28 min: Argentina 0-0 Australia Another good diagonal ball leads to another promising position for Australia. That pass is really working for them. Romero then miscues a clearance...
provided something unthinkable doesn't happen here. Lautaro Martinez is on. 8:30PM 70 min: Argentina 2-0 Australia Tim Cahill - I think it's fair to call him an Australian football legend - is sat watching ruefully from the stands. There will be a fair few Australians pulling exactly the same face. 8:28PM Ryan's nightmare Credit: Getty Images 8:26PM 67 min: Argentina 2-0 Australia Quickfire chances for Argentina. Acuna whips a great ball in from left which only just evades closing blue and white shirts. Moments later, Messi finds a pocked of space on the edge of the area and tries to whip one with his left but he can't keep it down. 8:24PM 'Arnold a non-nonsense type' by Tom Morgan at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Sad for the Australians that their World Cup now looks surely over after calamities between the goalkeeper and defence. That second goal will be infuriating for manager Graham Arnold, a non-nonsense type who has instilled a strict and disciplined old-school 4-4-2 system throughout the tournament.
HT: Argentina 1, Australia 0It wasn't the best half of soccer we've seen so far in the tournament until Leo Messi decided to change the history of the game and scored a stunning opening goal that put Argentina close to qualify for the next round. However, we shouldn't underestimate Australia for what they've done so far. The second half will be very tense here.
Argentina hold on late to defeat Australia 2-1 in Round of 16 at
Argentina 2-1 Australia - Highlights - beIN SPORTS