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Sports News of Sunday, 4 December 2022

Source: www.premiumtimesng.com

Argentina 2-1 Australia: Messi leads Argentina into a seventh World Cup quarterfinal

The photo used to illustrate the story The photo used to illustrate the story

The 50th match of the Qatar 2022 pitted Argentina against Australia at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, but all thoughts of a giant killing feat were extinguished as Argentina scored a goal in each half to qualify for their seventh World Cup quarterfinal match.

A goal by Lionel Messi in the 40th minute and a gift accepted by Julian Alvarez in the 57th minute ensured Argentina booked a date against the Netherlands next Friday.

Australia held their own at the beginning; playing a low block and denying Argentina space in behind their defence. But when Messi pressed Aziz Behich and won a throw-in, that saw some frayed nerves. From the throw, Behich clattered into Papu Gomez to concede the free kick from which the goal culminated.

Messi’s free kick was headed clear by Harry Souttar, but the ball was recycled, and it fell kindly to Messi, who scored his first-ever goal in the World Cup knockout round in his 1000th professional match.

Papu Gomez replaced Angel di Maria in Argentina’s starting 11 and though La Albiceleste started on the front foot, Australia held firm and prevented any shot on target until Messi found a way through five minutes from the interval.

The second half was more of the same until Rodrigo De Paul pressured Matt Ryan into a mistake in the 57th minute, which Julian Alvarez eagerly gobbled up to give Argentina their second goal.

In the 64th minute, Messi went on a marauding run from midfield and was only stopped from having a shot by a desperate tackle. Australia got back in the match when substitute Craig Goodwin smacked a shot towards goal, which took a deflection off Enzo Fernandez and sent the ball past Emiliano Martinez. That was in the 80th minute.

Three minutes later, Behich broke into the Argentina box after riding three Argentine tackles, but as he prepared to shoot, another Argentina substitute Lisandro Martinez made a goal-saving tackle. The moment was now with the Aussies as they sought an unlikely equaliser.

Messi set up Lautaro Martinez in the 89th minute, but the Inter Milan forward ballooned over the bar. Seven minutes were added and Ryan saved from Lautaro Martinez in the second minute of added time. Messi flashed another shot marginally wide.

It was pinball in the Australia box as both Messi and Martinez tried to get Argentina a calming third goal. Emiliano Martinez made a match-winning save on the cusp of the seventh minute of added time as he smothered Garang Kuol’s shot before gathering.

It was tough at the end, but Argentina held on to book their quarterfinal tie against the Netherlands on 9 December at the Lusail Stadium.