Messi leads Argentina to 2-0 World Cup win over Mexico
LUSAIL, QATAR — Lionel Messi came up with another crucial goal for Argentina in a 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday that ignited the team’s World Cup chances.
Messi took a touch from Angel Di Maria’s pass across the face of the area and drove a low shot from 25 yards into the bottom corner in the 64th minute.
He ran toward Argentina’s fans with his arms outstretched arms before getting mobbed by his jubilant teammates. He looked emotional as he grabbed and shook his jersey, then blew a kiss to the crowd.
Substitute Enzo Fernandez added a second goal in the 87th minute.
Argentina bounced back from a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening match. The team is in second place in Group C ahead of its last match against Poland on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Messi is likely playing in his last World Cup, which is the only major title missing from his collection.
France 2, Denmark 1: Kylian Mbappe scored two goals and put defending champion France into the knockout stage.
Mbappe gave his team the lead in the 61st minute and then scored the winner in the 86th with his right thigh as Les Bleus became the first team to advance to the round of 16.
The France forward swapped passes with Theo Hernandez down the left flank and poked the ball past Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for the first goal. He then jumped acrobatically to guide in the second after a cross from Antoine Griezmann.
Denmark defender Andreas Christensen equalized for his team with a header in the 68th.
Mbappe scored four goals when France won the World Cup four years ago, including one in the final. He now has 31 goals for France, moving him one ahead of Just Fontaine — the all-time leading scorer at a single World Cup with 13 goals at the 1958 tournament.
France beat Australia 4-1 in its opening game while the Danes drew 0-0 with Tunisia. The Aussies beat Tunisia 1-0 earlier Saturday.
With Ballon d’or winner Karim Benzema missing from the tournament with a leg injury, Mbappe has taken charge. He has 14 goals in his past 12 games for France, including three so far in Qatar.
The Danes beat France twice this year in the Nations League but looked tame in attack at Stadium 974 — on the rare occasions they even got near France’s penalty area.
Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 0: Robert Lewandowski finally scored at the World Cup, helping Poland beat Saudi Arabia and boosting his team’s chances of reaching the knockout stages.
Lewandowski shed tears after scoring in the 82nd minute. He raced toward the corner with his arms outstretched, then stayed slumped on the field as teammates rushed to congratulate him. He got up, rubbed his face, and blew a kiss to the crowd.
It was the Poland forward’s first World Cup goal in his fifth appearance at the tournament.
The 34-year-old Lewandowski also set up the opener in the 40th minute when he kept the ball in play after goalkeeper Mohammed Al-owais’ initial block, then laid it back for Piotr Zielinski to knock in.
Al-owais denied Lewandowski from scoring a second goal late in the match.
Poland was scrambling for long periods at the Education
City Stadium as the Saudi team was pushed forward by enthusiastic fans in what seemed like a home game.
Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saved Salem Al-dawsari’s penalty at the end of the first half. He then blocked Mohammed Al-burayk’s shot from the rebound.
Poland will next face Argentina, while Saudi Arabia will meet Mexico in their last Group C games.
Australia 1, Tunisia 0: Australia beat Tunisia to revive its chances of advancing from the group stage at the World Cup.
Mitchell Duke gave Australia the lead midway through the first half with a header.
Defending champion France and Australia lead Group D with three points each, while Denmark and Tunisia have one point each.
France was playing Denmark later.
In the final round of group games Wednesday, Tunisia plays France and Australia meets Denmark.