Messi, Argentina play Poland for survival at World Cup

Lionel Messi has already come to Argentina's rescue at the World Cup. He might just have to do it all over again.

Another emotionall y char ged evening awaits Messi and the soccer-mad South American nation that w orships him w hen Argentina meets Poland on Wednesday for a match with so much on the line.

For Messi, w ho is pla ying in likely his last W orld C up. F or Poland strik er R obert Lewandowski, who might also be too old w hen soccer's biggest tournament rolls around next in 2026.

And f or the W orld C up as a whole. Because who really doesn't want to see Messi — one of the game's greatest ever players — in the lat e stages of a t ournament that is heating up so nicely.

There are multiple scenarios at play for the Group C finale. A win for the Ar gentines and the y are suretoadvance,likelyasthe group winners. A draw, and they can either finish in second place behind Poland or be squeezed out by either Saudi Arabia or Mexico, who are playing in a match taking place concurrently.

A loss? W ell, that just doesn 't bear thinking about for anyone associated with Argentina. The team wouldn't just be eliminat ed but humiliated. Messi might never be seen in the Albiceleste's sky blueand-white jersey again.

That scenario is too much for Argentina fans to take. It's why tears were shed on the field, among the technical staff and among the fanbase after Messi scored the crucial second-half goal to set Argentina on its way to a 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday.

That victory meant Argentina bounced back from its shocking 21 loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening match and now has a fighting chance to avoiding a first groupstage exit since 2002.

Messi later confirmed it was nothing serious. But it only adds to the worries about the physical wellbeing of a 35-year-old player who is clearly pacing himself during matches, picking and choosing his moments to explode into life.

As for Poland, some of the weight is off the 34-year-old Lewandowski's back after he finally scored a goal at a World Cup in the 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Now he's looking to advance beyond the group stage for the first time at a World Cup. Poland hasn't done so since 1986.

"Is he the same level of Messi?" Scaloni said of Lewandowski. "You just have to enjoy such a good player — why are we comparing one player with another? It's not helpful."

Argentina fans will be wary of the threat of Lewandowski, who rivals France's Karim Benzema as the best striker in the world.

They'll know, though, that they have an even bigger icon in Messi, who continues — even in the twilight of his magnificent career — to bend soccer games to his will.

Can he do it one more time?

Mexico faces early World Cup exit against Saudi Arabia

Mexico is going to have to suddenly find goals — and perhaps even several of them — to extend its knockout-round streak at the World Cup.

Mexico has reached the round of 16 at the last seven World Cups, tied for the longest current streak with Brazil. But in Qatar, El Tri sits at the bottom of Group C ahead of a must-win match against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday at Lusail Stadium.

The last time Mexico played at soccer's biggest tournament and didn't advance out of its group was in 1978.

But it's not quite as simple as winning: El Tri must also get help. They'll need Poland to beat Lionel Messi and Argentina at the exact same time at Stadium 974.

That's the easiest way forward for Mexico. Beyond that, it gets complicated. If Mexico does its job and wins but Argentina, one of the tournament's favorites, also wins, then goal difference comes into play.

The problem is, Mexico has no goals yet in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia couldn't pull off another upset Saturday when it fell to Poland 2-0. The Saudis reached the round of 16 back in 1994, the team's World Cup debut, but hasn't made it past the group stage since.

"We will play to the last second of this tournament and we will not give up," Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard said.

Nawaf Al-Abed sustained an ankle injury against Poland and it was unclear if he would be available against Mexico.

Australia plays Denmark for last 16 spot at World Cup

Scenes of wild celebrations featuring flares and fire are not the norm in Australia after World Cup matches.

Yet that was exactly what happened in Melbourne's Fed Square after the Socceroos beat Tunisia on Saturday for just their third win in 18 World Cup matches.

Now, Australia is after something even bigger: reaching the last 16 of soccer's biggest event — something it has achieved only once, in 2006.

Australia faces European Championship semifinalist Denmark in its decisive final group game Wednesday, with the winner likely advancing.

Australia will qualify with a win, or a draw unless Tunisia beats France. Denmark needs to win and hope that Tunisia doesn't beat France.

Australia is counting on France performing well against Tunisia.

France can win its World Cup group, Tunisia simply must win

Defending champion France has not won all three of its World Cup group matches since claiming its first title in 1998.

Tunisia hasn't even won three matches in its World Cup history, but the team needs to beat France on Wednesday to have any chance of advancing to the round of 16 in Qatar. And Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri is feeling the pressure

Kadri said before the tournament it was his "personal mission" to advance past the group stage and hinted he would quit otherwise.

One option is to move Antoine Griezmann up from his new position in right midfield into a striker's role alongside Olivier Giroud, who needs one more goal to become France's all-time leading scorer with 52.

Deschamps hailed the unselfishness of Griezmann, a prolific forward himself with 42 goals and 26 assists for France.

The Tunisians have never been past the group stage in five World Cups and their two wins were 40 years apart — against Mexico in 1978 and against Panama four years ago in Russia.

"Nothing is impossible. I believe in the players," Kadri said. "We want our fans to be proud of us."

Despite good technical ability, the team has failed to score in Qatar despite the presence of attacking midfielders Naim Sliti and Wahbi Khazri, who had two goals at the last World Cup and has 24 for the national team.

France, however, carries multiple attacking threats.

Deschamps has always been a shrewd tactician, with deep layers of tactical knowledge gleaned from playing and coaching in Italy with Juventus. In Qatar, he's kept things more simple with a direct approach that has surprised opponents, using the wings as his main route to goal.