Messi on a mission

Tunisia’s midfielder Saif-Eddine Khaoui (right), vies for the ball with Belgium’s defender Dedryck Boyata during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group G

football match between Belgium and Tunisia at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow on June 23. (AFP)

BRONNITSY, Russia, June 23, (AFP): Lionel Messi and Argentina hit the training ground on Saturday with renewed hope of qualifying for the World Cup last 16.

Argentina were on the brink of elimination after a humiliating 3-0 loss to Croatia, but Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Iceland on Friday offered the two-time world champions a lifeline.

Victory over Nigeria in their final Group D match in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday would send Argentina through as runners-up if group leaders Croatia avoid defeat against Iceland.

Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi and midfielder Lucas Biglia trained separately from the rest of the squad in the gym as they recover from minor knocks.

Defensive pair Mercado and Otamendi suffered ankle injuries in the loss to Croatia but are expected to be fit to face Nigeria.

Coach Jorge Sampaoli was roundly criticised for his approach against Croatia, sparking rumours the 58-year-old would be sacked during the tournament.

The Chelsea star sprinted onto De Bruyne’s lofted pass, held off two defenders, rounded keeper Ben Mustapha and tapped home Belgium’s fourth goal in the 51st minute.

Knocks forced both Lukaku, then Hazard off in the second-half and for the final 22 minutes Batshuayi came on and had five clear chances before finally converting a cross for Belgium’s fifth goal.

Tunisia captain Khazri grabbed their second goal just before the final whistle of their second defeat in Russia.

Mexico laid one foot in the World Cup’s last 16 and left South Korea on the brink of elimination after goals from Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela clinched a 2-1 victory in Rostov.

Hernandez became the first Mexican player to score 50 goals for his country, after 104 appearances, with Vela earlier opening the scoring through yet another penalty kick.

Son Heung-min’s stunning longrange effort in stoppage time gave South Korea a glimmer of hope but it was too little too late.

Mexico lead Group F on six points after two games, having backed up their shock victory against Germany with another display to suggest they can go deep in this tournament.

South Korea, beaten by a Sweden penalty in their first match, had their chances but again lacked cutting edge up front.

Yet to register a single point in Russia, they are left needing a miracle to progress.

After 28 games at the World Cup, there have now been 14 spot-kicks, 11 of them converted, and there

South Korea’s goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo (left), claims the ball from a cross during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group F football match between South Korea and Mexico at the Rostov Arena in Rostov-On-Don on June 23. (AFP)

could be little complaint about this one, coming after a blatant handball by Jang Hyun-soo, Vela stepping up to convert.

In temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius, Mexico were rewarded for another controlled performance that combined possession in midfield with pace and penetration in attack. Hirving Lozano, the match-winner against Germany, was excellent again in particular.

Before their opening goal, however, it was South Korea that created the better chances.

Only a brilliant saving tackle from Lozano denied Lee Yong tapping in at the back post before Son saw three quick-fire shots come to nothing, the first two blocked, the last skewed wide.

But Mexico’s penalty in the 27th minute was clear. Jang tried to block Andres Guardado’s cross but inexplicably slid with his arm outstretched above him and the ball struck the defender’s hand.

Vela was made to wait by goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, who played for time by swigging his water and chatting to his team-mates, but there was no mistake. Vela slid home.

The game became more open in the second half as South Korea perhaps pushed too hard too soon, and it was little surprise when Mexico doubled their lead.

They were fortunate not to concede a foul for a clear trip by Hector Herrera in the build-up but Lozano found Hernandez and the striker did the rest. The former Manchester United striker dummy-shot fooled the lunging Jang before a scuffed finish rolled past Jo.

Son should have capitalised on a Rafael Marquez mistake late on but made amends in the 93rd minute with a fabulous effort that soared into the corner. Mexico, however, held on.

Meanwhile, Serbia’s coach has reacted to his team’s World Cup defeat

Hernandez

to Switzerland by calling for the referee to be put on trial in the Hague, in a reference to the war crimes tribunal for the ex-Yugoslavia.

Serbia were furious when German referee Felix Brych failed to award a penalty in Friday’s game after Aleksandar Mitrovic was wrestled to the ground in the penalty area by Swiss defenders Stephan Lichtsteiner and Fabian Schaer.

Despite opening the scoring through Mitrovic in the fifth minute, Serbia lost 2-1 after Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri netted for Switzerland.

“We were robbed,” Mladen Krstajic told Serbian reporters on Saturday, when asked about Brych’s decision.

“I wouldn’t give him either a yellow or red card, I would send him to the Hague. Then they could put him on trial, like they did to us.”

The Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia is a UN body that prosecutes the perpetrators of war crimes committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia.

Krstajic also posted photographs from the match on his Instagram account, accompanied by the comment: “Unfortunately, it seems that only the Serbs are condemned to a selective justice, once (it was) the Hague and today in football the VAR...”

He was referring to the video assistant referee that is being used in the World Cup to check controversial incidents, but was not used on this occasion.

The match in Kaliningrad was played in a febrile atmosphere underpinned by Balkan politics because Xhaka and Shaqiri have roots in Kosovo, a former province of Serbia that has declared independence in a move not recognised by Belgrade.

Both players pointedly celebrated their goals by making a double eagle gesture with their hands to represent the Albanian flag, with which many people in Kosovo identify.

Shaqiri said his celebration was “just emotion”.

See Also Page 34 & 35