FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi sparkles as Socceroos go down fighting

In a World Cup that has already witnessed a number of upsets, you can be forgiven for not trusting Argentina to finish the job against Australia in the last 16 stage. What added to the trust issues is that, quite often in the past, the Argentina team, despite its star cast and Lionel Messi leading them, had come a cropper at the big stages. FIFA World Cup:  Fixtures  |  Results  |  Points Table  |  Squads  |  Records But not on Saturday (Sunday for Messi fans in India). At Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, the much-anticipated clash between the two-time world champions and the Socceroos conformed to the script. The script which was the wish of the majority of world football. There’s no official confirmation on this, and there never will be, but it’s easy to sense it. The world wants to see Messi win a World Cup. His football is so magical that it seems mythical, and makes you believe in divinity, even if aging has taken the shine off, a little. And if Qatar 2022 is to be his last dance, Messi gave us a performance to remember in the game against Australia. Rolling back the clock with his marauding dribbles, Messi was a sight to behold, making it worth staying up late in India. It was this brilliance that helped Argentina open the account in the 35th minute of the game. The PSG star started the move with a cutback to the edge of the box, stormed into the penalty area, and converted the layoff from Nicolas Otamendi with a low shot through the legs of Australia defender Harry Souttar.

Cannot quantify #Messi magic with numbers but it's worth a shot 😬

📹 The 🔢 behind that 🤌🏻 ⚽

Watch the @Argentina star LIVE at the #WorldsGreatestShow 👉🏻 #JioCinema & #Sports18 📺📲#Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/yT6jywFK6f

— JioHotstar Reality (@HotstarReality) December 4, 2022

Fans’ voices in the stadium reached a crescendo. It is for this they had come to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. It is for this they had come to Qatar. It was Messi’s 789th career goal in his 1000th game. But his first in a World Cup knockout stage. Till that goal, Messi remained an anonymous figure on the pitch with Australian defenders crowding him out but all that mattered for little as it took just a moment of brilliance from the Argentine great to leave his mark on the game. This was followed by a 40-yard zigzag in the 65th minute and then some more in the 89th minute to create a clear-cut goal-scoring opportunity for Lautaro Martinez who squandered it in the most disappointing way.

Argentina’s second goal came through Julian Alvarez in the 57th minute after the forward stole the ball from Australia’s unsure goalkeeper Matt Ryan. In all fairness, Alvarez’s goal was the most important on the night. In the David vs Goliath contest, Australia were trailing 2-0 but they were never out of the game. Even before conceding the goals, they made Argentina sweat hard. After conceding, they upped the ante. The last 20 minutes of the game belonged to Socceroos as they stitched one attack after another in search of history. Australia have never reached the quarter-finals in a World Cup and they received a lifeline in the 77th minute when Craig Goodwin’s shot was deflected into the net off Enzo Fernandez. Aziz Behich made a mesmerising slalom in the 81st minute only to be stopped by a vital Lisandro Martinez last-ditch challenge. Garang Kuol had an excellent opportunity in the dying minutes of the extra time but his shot on the turn was saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

High praise for his defenders 🙌 @Budweiser Player of the Match, Lionel Messi, singled out Argentina's centre-backs following their Round of 16 victory against Australia 🇦🇷 #ARGAUS @budfootball #POTM #YoursToTake #BringHomeTheBud pic.twitter.com/tM78gAKJZ8

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 4, 2022

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“Before we came here, people were saying we were the worst team at the World Cup and the worst Socceroos team ever. That’s gone now,” Australia coach Graham Arnold said after the game. Australia’s campaign is over but they can go back home head held high. It shouldn’t be long before they reach the quarters of a World Cup. The profile of football is growing Down Under just as cricket loses its sheen. For Argentina, the Netherlands are the next challenge in the last eight stage. By successfully disposing of the Australian banana peel, the 1978 and 1986 champions have laid down the marker. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.