Argentina superstar puts on an excellent performance in his 1,000th professional game to help his team set up a meeting with the Netherlands for the World Cup quarterfinals.
Argentina beat Australia 2-1 in the Round of 16 of the football World Cup in Qatar, setting up a quarter-final showdown against the Netherlands.
Lionel Messi, playing in his 1000th game, opened the scoring in the 35th minute, one of few highlights of a lethargic first half at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Saturday. It was Messi’s ninth World Cup career goal, one more than late Argentina legend Diego Maradona’s record.
A second goal for Argentina followed just before the hour mark, courtesy of Julian Alvarez, after a notable lapse by Australia’s defence.
The Socceroos, who played a compact game, scored a 77th-minute consolation goal when Craig Goodwin’s shot deflected into the net off Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Further efforts in both boxes ramped up the tension in the dying minutes. Amid late pressure from Australia, there was a chance in the final seconds for Garang Kuol to send the game to extra time, but his shot was smothered by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
For Australia’s squad of unheralded players, it proved to be a match too far at a World Cup in which the team has exceeded expectations by reaching the knockout stage for only the second time. Australia also lost in the last 16 in 2006, to eventual champions Italy.
As for Messi, he now has 789 goals in a career that might yet reach its peak on December 18 by winning football’s biggest trophy in his fifth, and likely last, World Cup.