Lionel lifts Argentina out of a Messi
LIONEL Messi believes Argentina are starting to show ‘what they stand for’ at the World Cup as he helped them shrug off a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia with a 2-0 win over Mexico.
An ill-tempered game needed someone to lift it and as so often, Messi stepped forward. The Paris St Germain superstar set his team on the path to a crucial victory with a well-taken goal in the 64th minute.
Messi was encouraged by what he saw but recognised that the job is not done, with a victory over Poland needed to guarantee a last-16 place.
“We didn’t expect (the defeat to Saudi Arabia),” Messi said. “We felt eager to turn the situation around. Luckily we won and that was a weight off our shoulders, and we have the peace of mind that it is all down to us again. “I think the first half was difficult due to the situation and our need to win, we couldn’t find spaces, we weren’t moving the ball from side to side, but that was normal given our situation.
“In the second half we started playing our game, and started doing what we stand for. Long possession, finding space between the lines, then the goal changed the game.”