Victory for enthusiasts as Messi marches on
Crowd helps to sweep Argentina through against Poland to book place in knockout stage
Rest easy, football fans. Lionel Messi will grace the World Cup stage at least one more time.
The Argentina great had a penalty saved but his men still beat Poland 2-0 after second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez and advanced to the last 16.
After starting with a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, Argentina wound up topping Group C and will next play Australia – surprise qualifiers for the knockout stage. Messi rolls into tomorrow’s game suddenly in a strong position in what is likely to be his final World Cup.
As for Poland, it was ultimately a happy night, too, because the team went through as second in the group – on goal difference ahead of Mexico – and will play defending champions France.
Messi ended up relieved after failing to score a penalty for the second straight World Cup. It was awarded after he was hit in the face by the flailing hand of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who dived to his left to block Messi’s kick in the 39th minute.
“I’m upset that I missed the penalty, but the team came back stronger after my error,” he said.
A largely pro-Argentina crowd, waving flags and scarfs and beating drums behind both goals, had been sweeping Messi and his team along and they did not stop after the penalty. Within seconds, a chant of “Messi! Messi!” reverberated around the stadium in a bid to keep their idol’s head high.
And the roars were even louder at the start of the second half, first after Mac Allister’s goal – a scruffy finish from Nahuel Molina’s cut-back from the right – in the first minute and soon after as news filtered through that Mexico were leading against Saudi Arabia, who started the day in third place.
Playing an Argentine-record 22nd World Cup game, Messi never stopped surging forward and he was a menace all game.
Meanwhile, Mexico coach Tata Martino accepted responsibility for their exit and said he would not extend his contract.
Mexico’s 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia proved insufficient as they paid the price for firing blanks in their first two games – a goalless draw with Poland and a 2-0 loss to Argentina. It was Mexico’s earliest exit from a finals since 1978.
“I am responsible for this disappointment. It is a great sadness and I assume all the responsibility of this huge failure,” Martino said.
“It has been eight World Cups since this happened. My contract expired with the final whistle and there is nothing else to do.”