Lionel Messi opened the scoring towards Mexico with an exquisite objective from vary, as Argentina earned a 2-0 victory.
Very good objectives by Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez have earned Argentina a 2-0 win over Mexico in a pulsating environment at Lusail Stadium on Saturday.
The outcome breathes new life into the South American facet’s World Cup marketing campaign after they suffered a beautiful defeat of their Group C opener towards Saudi Arabia.
Argentina knew one other defeat would ship them out of the event, however they began poorly, struggling to deal with Mexico’s excessive press as Messi was denied time and house to function.
Messi broke the impasse within the sixty fourth minute, arrowing a low shot by means of a crowd of defenders into the nook, equalling Diego Maradona’s Argentina document of 21 matches and eight objectives on the World Cup.
The Argentinian followers, who made up nearly all of this 88,966-strong crowd, erupted. Greater than 5,000 Argentina followers already reside in Qatar.
Enzo Fernandez sealed the victory within the 87th minute with an exquisite arcing strike. From an Argentinian nook received on the left facet, Fernandez was in a position to slalom himself in the direction of the nook of the penalty field earlier than unleashing a strike of some high quality that curled into the highest proper of the objective.
In doing so, Fernandez turned the youngest participant to attain at a World Cup for Argentina since Messi himself in 2006.
“As we speak begins one other World Cup for Argentina,” Messi mentioned after the ultimate whistle. “I inform folks the identical factor, that they proceed to consider.
“The primary half we didn’t play as we must always and within the second, after we calmed down, we began to play the ball higher.”
Mexico, who've now misplaced all 4 of their World Cup clashes with Argentina, have one level and should beat Saudi Arabia, who've three factors, to have any likelihood of constructing the Spherical of 16, as they've up to now seven World Cups.
With the prospect of an Argentina elimination forward of this sport, tensions had been excessive on and off the ball in a scrappy first half, with the 2 units of followers creating an electrical environment inside and out of doors the stadium.
The opening interval didn't reside as much as the match’s billing, with neither group eager to commit too many gamers ahead, and, save for a free kick by Mexico’s Luis Chavez within the ninth minute that sailed previous the goalmouth, there have been few probabilities.
Mexico’s high-pressing sport stifled most of their opponents’ assault and Argentinian talisman Messi struggled to seek out any house to manoeuvre in a congested midfield.
However in a severe blow to Mexico, skipper Andres Guardado, a veteran of 5 World Cups who till then had been a commanding presence in midfield, was taken off injured within the forty second minute.
The Mexicans nonetheless carved out two extra probabilities earlier than the break with Alexis Vega first curling a free kick over the wall for keeper Emiliano Martinez to avoid wasting and, minutes later, thundering a shot over the bar.
The South Individuals seemed extra decided after the break however had no actual likelihood earlier than their 35-year-old captain dragged them out of bother together with his second objective of the event, reviving his possibilities of profitable a first-ever World Cup title.
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