Lionel Messi gave life to Argentina when it needed it most and led his team to a 2-0 victory this Saturday against Mexico, which remains in a critical situation in group C of the World Cup in Qatar-2022.
The Paris Saint-Germain star was the architect of the albiceleste triumph, first scoring 1-0, with a shot from outside the area, in minute 64, and then with an assist for Enzo Fernández, in minute 87 with a shot crossed, sealed the 2-0.
Argentina revives after the debut defeat against Saudi Arabia and now has 3 points in the standings, placing second, only surpassed by Poland, which is the leader with 4 units. The Saudis are third with 3 points -and worse goal difference than the Argentines- and the Mexicans close the key, with just one.
On the third and final day, Argentina continues to depend on itself: if they win they will achieve their goal of reaching the round of 16 and most likely as the leader.
A draw would make their classification depend on the result of Mexico-Saudi Arabia and a defeat against the Poles would eliminate Argentina.
Mexico needs to win yes or yes in the last game, but even that does not guarantee progress and it will depend on the goal difference in the tiebreakers, so they will have to look askance at what also happens between the Poles and the Argentines.
Messi celebrated with his leading role one night in which he wrote one more line on his list of records: with 21, he reached Diego Maradona as the Argentine player who has played the most matches in a World Cup.
Messi has played five World Cups, a record that he shares with a select list of names, joined in this match by the Mexican Andrés Guardado, who had to be changed due to a physical problem shortly before the break.
Argentina continues to be an insurmountable obstacle for Mexico in the World Cups. They have already met four times in the tournament and all four have fallen on the side of the South Americans.
show in the stands
The tension that was chewed in the atmosphere between two of the largest and most enthusiastic supporters present in Qatar was reflected from the start on the pitch.
The first dangerous approach was for Mexico at minute 10, when Guardado hung up a ball that went dangerously through the area without Néstor Araújo managing to reach the shot.
Argentina also had the first dangerous approach in a similar way, in his case with a cross by Gonzalo Montiel that Lautaro Martínez narrowly missed and ended up losing.
Messi also couldn’t find a way to get out of the defensive spider web woven by his former coach Gerardo Martino.
The star of the Paris Saint-Germain hardly generated danger in the first part. In minute 28 he finished off with a header that was too forced, well above Guillermo Ochoa’s crossbar, which he then cleared with his fists, in minute 34, a free kick launched from a very lateral position by the ‘Flea’ and which was poisoned by the effect until it became in a shot on goal.
Mexico lost their captain Guardado before the break, who was changed at minute 41 and left with a slight limp.
The best chance of the first half was for the Aztec team Alexis Vega, with a well-directed free kick that was safely saved by Emiliano Martínez.
In the second half, Argentina came out more awake than against Saudi Arabia.
Messi warned with a free-kick from the edge, which went too high, and in minute 64 he managed to open the scoring with a shot from the edge of the area, assisted by Ángel Di María.
Argentina thus gained the confidence that they had not had in their debut, against a Mexico without offensive bite.
Gonzalo Montiel sent too high in minute 70 and the final tranquility for the Albiceleste came in minute 87, when after a corner kick Messi gave a ball to Enzo Fernández, who sent a cross shot in a corner of the area that ensured that La Scaloneta returned to the good path
