 "Bengaluru FC players paid, Odisha FC sit out of Super Cup 2025 amid Indian football crisis")
 "Shocker for Manchester United fans as 'bomb squad' member is included in Ruben Amorim's squad for 2025-26 season")
Preview: A chant has been doing the rounds among Saudi Arabia supporters — and even some from Brazil — in the fan parks and streets of Doha at the World Cup. “Where is Messi? We broke his eye!” they sing in Arabic, using a slang expression meaning to bring shame on a person. Messi and his Argentina team are being mocked after a humbling 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia that has left their presence at the tournament in big — and completely unforeseen — danger. Argentina needs to immediately bounce back against Mexico on Saturday, otherwise an embarrassing early exit awaits. “We always said we were going to look to win every game,” Messi said, “and now more than ever.” A compatriot — indeed the team’s former coach — could mastermind the fatal blow to Argentina. Gerardo Martino led his native Argentina from 2014-16, losing the Copa America final in back-to-back years in that time before quitting. Now Martino is Mexico’s coach and looking to guide the team into the last 16 — perhaps at the expense of Argentina — and beyond. After all, Mexico has famously lost its first match of the knockout stage in each of the last seven World Cups, twice to Argentina, in 2006 and 2010. This time, the teams’ meeting comes in the group stage but it already has the feel of a do-or-die occasion just seven days into the tournament, especially for Argentina. “Now it has ended up being three finals for each of us,” said Martino, whose team tied its opening Group C game with Poland 1-1. “We never imagined a scenario like tomorrow’s,” he added Friday, “but we work for Mexico and we want the best for Mexico.” This is Lionel Scaloni’s first crisis as Argentina coach — he hadn’t lost a game before the Saudis’ rally at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday — and it remains to be seen how he reacts. Will he give the same players a chance to make amends? Or did he see enough bad things in the opening group game to necessitate some changes to his lineup? Center back Cristian Romero, full backs Nahuel Molina and Nicolás Tagliafico, and midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes seem most at risk. Of course, Messi is going nowhere from the starting lineup, even if he could be deployed differently. Scaloni is sure about one thing, though. “We will not change our style after what happened on Tuesday,” Scaloni said. “We will play the same way.” Argentina’s 36-match unbeaten run ended with the loss to Saudi Arabia, and Scaloni said he was prepared for it. “For a long time, everything was perfect for us. Everything was joy,” he said. “I was the first to be ready for that blow … It would have been great to continue on that streak but that’s not possible. “Luckily enough, that came in our first match. What’s important for us is facing every match like it’s our last one. A match can be lost but it’s how you bounce back, how you rise up.” Mexico has never beaten Argentina in three attempts at the World Cup, and Martino’s worst defeat as Mexico coach was at the hands of his countrymen. That was in September 2019, when Lautaro Martínez scored a hat trick in a 4-0 win. Argentina will take a win of any kind on Saturday back at Lusail Stadium, where the World Cup final will also be played on Dec. 18. It would be folly for either team to be looking that far ahead. “There’s no pressure because we are still relying on ourselves,” Martinez said Friday through an interpreter. “We have trust in the technical staff, we trust every player. “We are calm, confident and we will break our backs for Argentina.” With inputs from AP Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Argentina vs Mexico, FIFA World Cup 2022 Highlights: Lionel Messi scores in Argentina's 2-0 win
Argentina vs Mexico, FIFA World Cup Highlights: So, Argentina walk away with a 2-0 win over Mexico, thanks to a fantastic display from them in the second half. Lionel Messi with the first goal, and minutes before full time Enzo Fernandez with the second.
)
Full time Argentina 2-0 Mexico
So, Argentina walk away with a 2-0 win over Mexico, thanks to a fantastic display from them in the second half. Special mention to Lionel Messi, who provided the opening goal, and a star is born in 21-year-old Enzo Fernandez, whose spectacular goal confirmed all three points for Argentina.
Argentina climb to second place in the points table, with three points, behind Poland (Four), while Mexico hit rock-bottom with just one point from two matches.
90’ Argentina 2-0 Mexico
Six minutes added in injury time. Argentina in a very comfortable position.
87’ Argentina 2-0 Mexico
GOAAAL! What a fabulous strike from the young Enzo Fernandez. Argentina double their lead, and this contest is all but over. Mexico won’t be happy with whatever has happened tonight.
77’ Argentina 1-0 Mexico
Julian Alvarez aims to linkup with Lionel Messi in a bid to double Argentina’s lead but Mexico successfully clear away the danger. Mexico still looking for an equaliser.
64’ Argentina 1-0 Mexico
GOAAAAAAL! Who else other than Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar who gives Argentina the lead! The crowd at the Lusail Stadium is roaring as Messi revives Argentina. Assisted by Angel di Maria.
60’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
An hour gone, and it has been a contest of equal proportions so far in Lusail Stadium, between Argentina and Mexico. Mac Allister with an attempted shot but the Mexican defence is quick to clear his attempt.
52’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
And now Argentina win a free-kick. Lionel Messi, their main man, takes the free-kick but his attempt goes way above the crossbar and ends up missing the target. Deadlock yet to be broken as we approach the hour mark.
47’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
A hand ball by Argentina’s Mac Allister and Mexico win a free-kick. Nothing to take away from that free-kick for Mexico.
Argentina 0-0 Mexico
And we’re underway once again, now for the second half, with Argentina kicking off proceedings in the half. Who will draw first blood in this one?
HALF-TIME Argentina 0-0 Mexico
So Argentina and Mexico gain no goals in what was an evenly-contested first half of football. Argentina enjoy possession after the first half, but for Messi and Co, a win is important to say the least. Goalless at half time.
45’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
Five minutes added in injury time, but will we see a lead before half-time?
43’Argentina 0-0 Mexico
Messi with a ball to Lautaro through the middle and the latter then passes the ball to De Paul. De Paul looks to consistently carry the ball towards the touchline but fails to keep going with it.
33’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
Lionel Messi with Argentina’s first corner, but Argentina do not get anything out of it. It’s safely cleared by the Mexican defenders. Messi wins a free-kick later on, looks to punch this one behind the bar but he fails in doing that.
20’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
A challenge by Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi on Mexico’s Hirving Lozano.Mexico win a free-kick, but are unable to make anything out of it.
12’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
Mexico win a corner but they are unable to make anything out of it. A lively start to this contest, and Mexico have been aggressive so far in the contest.
3’ Argentina 0-0 Mexico
Mexico get the match underway at the Lusail Stadium. Early possession for Argentina though, gaining it in the very first minute. 89 percent possession to Argentina when compared to just 11 percent for Mexico.
Meanwhile, in a Group D contest, a Kylian Mbappe brace has helped France secure their birth in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup, with a 2-1 win over Denmark.
Argentina vs Mexico, FIFA World Cup LIVE updates
Argentina XI: Martinez; Montiel, Otamendi, Lisandro, Acuna; De Paul, Guido Rodriguez, Alexis Mac Allister; Messi, Lautaro, Di Maria.
Mexico XI: Ochoa, Montes, Araujo, Moreno, Gallardo, Alvarez, Chavez, Guardado, Herrera, Vega, Lozano