Lionel Messi helped Argentina through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup
(Picture: PA)A sublime Lionel Messi goal helped Argentina set up a World Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands with a 2-1 win over Australia but they came close to suffering another meltdown after Craig Goodwin’s ridiculous consolation for the Socceroos.
Messi’s superb strike ten minutes before half-time and a poacher’s goal from Julian Alvarez following a Mat Ryan blunder were enough in the end for Argentina, and a reminder of why the pair make such a dangerous partnership.
But Goodwin’s wildly-deflected effort made the game far closer than it should have been and it took a huge block from substitute Lisandro Martinez and a fine save from goalkeeper Emi Martinez to deny Australia a shock late leveller.
In the end, a wasteful Argentine performance, illuminated by Messi, was both a reminder of why they are so fancied to win the World Cup, but also why concerns remain about the durability of Lionel Scaloni’s side.
It is rare these days for Messi to break new ground, such is the scale of his excellence, but the 1000th game of his career finally brought a first goal in a World Cup knockout match at the ninth attempt.
If the experience was new, the goal itself was familiar, a trademark low finish caressed through the legs of Harry Souttar and beyond the reach of Ryan.
Messi’s control to take Nicolas Otamendi’s heavy touch in his stride was arguably better than the finish itself, which set his name ringing around the stadium.
The goal came moments after the first real flashpoint of what had otherwise been a sterile affair of Argentine dominance without a cutting edge, with the occasional foray forward by the Socceroos.
Aziz Behich briefly clashed with the Argentina captain on the touchline after some mutual shirt tugging, and the left-back fixed Messi with a fierce stare as they walked back onto the pitch.
Perhaps it galvanised the little magician, who had until that point simply strolled around looking disinterested, and even displayed a rare loose touch on the edge of the box.
LIONEL MESSI SCORES IN HIS 1000TH GAME 🔥
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022
That's 789 goals for the Argentina forward as he scores his first #FIFAWorldCup knockout strike 🤯#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/pioPUpZnhI
But with Alvarez alongside him, Messi can afford to amble. The Manchester City forward is the perfect foil for the 35-year-old, constantly pressing, harrying and buzzing around in the final third, eating up the ground which Messi can no longer cover.
Argentina’s clincher was the perfect example. Ryan attempted to dribble past Rodrigo De Paul but Alvarez was alert, and stole in on the ‘keeper’s blindside to nick the ball and roll into an empty net. Alvarez was not even in the team at the start of the tournament but has established himself as an important part of Scaloni’s side, helping to complement Messi.
The 22-year-old was replaced by Lautaro Martinez with 20 minutes remaining, presumably to save him for the Netherlands.
Alvarez’s was not the most bizarre goal of the night as Goodwin’s effort, which was surely sailing high and wide, took a massive deflection off Enzo Fernandez and nestled into the bottom corner to give Australia hope.
Before the game, Scaloni had blasted the schedule, which left his side playing a last-16 just 72 hours after their final group game against Poland.
And Argentina were nearly stung in the final 15 minutes, with Behich denied by a superb block by Manchester United’s Martinez, a second-half substitute, after a sensational weaving run into the box.
Then, deep into stoppage time, the other Martinez, Emi in goal, was forced to make an equally telling intervention with a smart save to deny Garang Kuol.
By that point, Argentina had missed a catalogue of chances to make the game safe with Lautaro Martinez twice drawing saves from Ryan, the second brilliant, and Messi firing an inch over the bar with another trademark effort.
If there is a concern for Argentina’s tremendous travelling support, who made the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium a wash of blue and white aside from one or two pockets of yellow, it was their side’s profligacy and jittery defending.
As Argentina danced on the pitch at full-time and in front of their fans, their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia feels like a distant memory but there were signs of both excellence and fragility here.
Next up for Messi is Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands, the side against which he made his first World Cup start in 2006 and a far greater test.
Of course, the new ground Messi really wants to break is winning the World Cup in what is set to be his final tournament, and on this evidence his side are more than capable, but still have some convincing to do.
