Messi keeps Argentina alive in the World Cup

By Gustavo Ribeiro

In the match during which he tied Diego Maradona’s record for most World Cup appearances for Argentina, star Lionel Messi also tied his former idol’s mark for most goals in the tournament for the Albiceleste. 

But more than a place in the record books, Messi’s eighth World Cup goal avoided a disastrous early exit from football’s pinnacle. With a win over Poland on Wednesday, Argentina are well placed to qualify from Group C of the World Cup after a shocking 2-1 come-from-behind loss to lowly Saudi Arabia. 

Still, for a team that reached Qatar hyped as one of the favorites to win the title, Argentina have yet to show its championship pedigree. Despite getting the three points, the team at no point resembled the well-oiled machine that beat Brazil in Maracanã to win the 2021 Copa América — ending a 28-year title drought.

After Tuesday’s loss, Argentina started today’s game with its back against the wall. A loss would mean early elimination — which would be even more bitter considering that this is likely the last World Cup in which Messi, the most celebrated Argentinian player since Maradona, will play.

Against Mexico, Argentina still seemed like a disjointed team with players unfamiliar with one another. However, it benefited from a Mexican team with little appetite for attack, more interested in not allowing the opposition to score. 

But Argentina capitalized on the one mistake made by a defense that had kept the Argentinian forwards at bay for most of the game.

At the 64th minute, Messi received the ball outside of the box with room for an uncontested shot, which he curled into the corner of the net for 1-0. 

Argentina doubled their lead with a beautiful goal by Enzo Fernández in the 87th minute, but it was not enough to put its performance in Qatar on the same level as those from Brazil, France, or Spain. 

The win certainly gives Messi and his team some much-needed momentum. But they are still not out of the woods. Only a win against Poland in the final group match would guarantee Argentina’s passage to the last 16 without depending on other results going their way.

Mexico, which barely eked out a tie against Poland in the opener, has yet to score its first goal in the tournament. The country hoped that 2022 would be the year in which it would end the so-called “fifth game curse” (Mexico have struggled to progress beyond the last 16), but it may not even qualify from the group.

Mexico play Saudi Arabia on Wednesday needing a win, and will require a favorable outcome in the Argentina-Poland match to progress.

But while Saudi Arabia are the group’s weakest side on paper, they have proved to be one of the surprises of the World Cup — beating Argentina and playing well against Poland despite a 2-0 loss.

And Saudi Arabia will not be short of inspiration for their clash with Mexico, facing the possibility of qualifying for the World Cup knockouts for the first time since 1994.

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