Argentina kept its hopes of qualifying for the final price of the Qatar soccer World Cup, thanks to its captain and star Lionel Messi, who led it to beat Mexico 2-0 on Saturday at Lusail Stadium in the second round of Group C competitions.
Messi and company started the 18th appearances of the 1978 and 1986 champions in the worst possible way after a shocking fall to Saudi Arabia 1-2 in an encounter during which they got away with a goal from current French star Paris Saint – Germain and the former Spanish Barcelona.
Amidst the danger of the season finishing in the first round for the first time since the 2002 edition, Messi was punctual again on Saturday in Lusail scoring the opener in the 64th minute with a fine shot, then passing the ball as the second goal scored also from substitute Enso Fernandez with a characteristic archery (87).
Messi gave his country the fourth victory in the final against Mexico out of four matches, after the first edition in 1930 (6-3) and the final price of each edition 2006 (2-1) and 2010 (3-1) .
Messi said after the match: “We knew we had to play like this. It was a complicated match. Mexico play well and dribble the ball amazingly. We played hard in the first half and lost our game a bit in the second half.” ball until the moment of goal, after which the game turned in our favor”.
And speaking of the difficult start against Saudi Arabia and speaking of his ankle injury, the seven-times best player in the world added: “The start of the tournament was difficult, with the presence of our young players and the date of the tournament (half of the football season). We knew that today we had to make the leap in quality in the tournament. My ankle hurt a little last time, but in the end we did what we had to.”
Coach Lionel Scaloni’s side have lifted the lead to three points, and their fate is in their hands, as they need to win in the last round against Poland, who won by four points on Saturday following a 2-0 victory over ‘Saudi Arabia.
Mexico’s task was complicated in reaching the final price for the eighth time in a row and trying to equal or surpass the result achieved in 1970 and 1986 on its soil when it reached the quarterfinals, as its balance remained a point before the final round which meets in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Messi equals Maradona’s goals and participation
And with his appearance on Saturday, Messi equaled the number of matches the late legend Diego Maradona played for the Argentine player at the World Cup (21), in fourth place overall, participating with Maradona, Germany’s Uwe Zeller and Poland’s Vladislav Gumuda, and behind the Germans Lothar Matthaus (25) and Miroslav Klose (24) and the Italian Paolo Maldini (23).
Messi also equaled Maradona’s eight World Cup goals, and became two goals behind the best Argentine in the finals, Gabriel Batistuta.
The match had a special character for Messi facing Mexico manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who had a strained relationship with the “flea” when he supervised him for one season in Barcelona, Spain, and two years in the Argentina national team.
Massive substitutions and lackluster first half
Scaloni made five squad changes, three of them in the backline, where he introduced Lisando Martinez mainly alongside Marcos Acuña and Goncalo Montiel at the expense of Christian Romero, Nahuel Molina and Nicholas Tagliafico, while Alexis McAllister and Guido Rodrigues started in the center instead Leandro Paredes and Alejandro Gomes.
Martino, however, made three changes to his squad, which drew with Denmark, with the help of captain Andres Guardado in the center after missing the first game, thus joining the club of players who have played or are competing in the finals World Cup for the fifth time, among them Messi and fellow goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. .
The match began with great physical impetus from both sides, but with no real threat to either goal, amidst Mexican success in closing the goal and reflections in front of Messi and isolating striker Lautaro Martinez.
Scaloni’s men waited until the 34th minute to threaten Guillermo Ochoa’s goal with a free kick that Messi took from the right, and the Mexican goalkeeper was able to save with difficulty.
Mexican captain Guardado’s injury and his 42nd-minute exit were the biggest event in the remaining minutes of the first half, as well as a Mexican free kick taken by Alexis Vega and blocked by Emiliano Martinez (45′).
With the start of the second half, the Argentines seemed more active on the offensive front, but with efficiency, which prompted Scaloni to launch Julian Alvares in place of Lautaro Martinez in search of the goal of progress, and this was soon achieved, but through Messi, who received the cross from Angel Di Maria, received it. On the outskirts of the area before throwing it to the left of Ochoa (64).
Argentina continued their run in search of a reassurance goal, and managed to score thanks to substitute Enso Fernandez with a wonderful arc shot from the left, after a pass from Messi even after a corner kick (87). .
