Messi shines as Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 to keep last 16 hopes alive

Pre-tournament favourites Argentina are up and running after defeating Mexico 2-0 in their do-or-die Group C match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Sunday. Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez scored two sublime goals for the two-time champions at the Lusail stadium.
Argentina knew a loss would mean the end of their Qatari campaign after being shocked by Saudi Arabia in their opening match. They were under pressure as a result of their inability to break the scoreless first-half tie. But Argentina came out of the locker room in the second half with a different attitude, headed by their flamboyant captain Messi, who gave them the lead in the 64th minute with an incredible goal. While the Mexican defence was under siege, the South American team continued to press for a second goal. In the 87th minute, substitute Fernandez scored with a wonderful curling shot to show that their effort had paid off.
Argentina moved up to second place in the group rankings with three points, ahead of Saudi Arabia on goal differential, keeping their chances of moving on to the next round alive. After the second round of matches, Poland is in first place with four points, and Mexico is in fourth place with one point. For more than an hour, Messi was nowhere to be seen until he picked up an Angel Di Maria ball, found just enough room, and rifled in with his left foot from 20 metres away to tie Diego Maradona’s Argentina record of 21 World Cup games. In the 87th minute, substitute Fernandez curled a beautiful shot into the top corner to secure all three points.
Video Courtesy: Jio Cinema
An electrifying atmosphere was created in the stadium by the two sets of fans as tensions were high on and off the ball in a scruffy first half due to the possibility of an Argentina elimination. The first half of the game did not live up to expectations since neither team wanted to commit too many players forward, and there were few opportunities aside from a free kick by Mexico’s Luis Chavez in the ninth minute that flew over the goalmouth. The majority of Mexico’s opponents’ offence was limited by their aggressive pressing style, and Argentina’s star Messi found it difficult to move about in a crowded midfield. Argentina lacked offensive bite up front aside from a Messi effort and a miss by Lautaro Martinez.
But in a significant setback for Mexico, captain Andres Guardado, a veteran of five World Cups who had been a controlling presence in midfield up until that point, had to be substituted out due to injury in the 42nd minute. However, the Mexicans still managed to create two more opportunities before halftime. Alexis Vega first curled a free kick over the wall for goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to save, and then he fired a shot over the crossbar minutes later.After the half, the South Americans were more resolute, but they had little hope of winning until their 35-year-old skipper scored his second goal of the competition to rescue them. After Fernandez’s late goal sealed Argentina’s first victory in the competition and revived Messi’s dreams of winning his first World Cup, the stadium erupted in cheers once more.The outcome put the Argentines back in control of Group C, and with a win over Poland in their final match on Wednesday, they can guarantee progression. Mexico, who has now lost all four of their World Cup meetings with Argentina, needs to defeat Saudi Arabia to have any chance of continuing their streak of qualifying for the round of 16 in the previous seven World Cups, but even that might not be enough.
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