Lionel Messi has warned his Argentina team-mates they have a "very tough" game ahead as they prepare for their World Cup clash with Australia.
The Albiceleste lost their opener against Saudi Arabia, but responded with back-to-back victories to set up a meeting with the Socceroos. After beating Mexico 2-0, they won by the same scoreline against Poland to leapfrog the European side.
Messi didn't have the best of games on Wednesday, winning a controversial penalty but seeing his spot-kick saved by Wojciech Szczesny. He recognised it hasn't been plain sailing for Lionel Scaloni's side, and laid bare the situation during an interview after the game at Stadium 974.
"We have to prepare [for] the game as always," Messi said after the game (via Clarin ). "We know it will be a very tough game as well.
"This World Cup It 's very even, we can't trust ourselves because we experienced it first hand. Now, we have to rest."
Messi also praised Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez, both of whom have found the net during the tournament after battling their way into Scaloni's team. Fernandez started against Poland after coming off the bench to score in the victory over Mexico, while Alvarez - in for Lautaro Martinez - sealed victory for Argentina on Wednesday after Alexis Mac Allister's opener.
"They know what they have to do when it's their turn to come in," Messi said. "That's the strength of this group. When they have to come in, they respond" .
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Australia await for Argentina after booking their own place in the last 16 a few hours earlier. Graham Arnold's team also made it through with back-to-back victories after losing their opening match, with Matthew Leckie's goal the difference as they beat Denmark to ensure Tunisia's win over France counted for nothing.
"I'm proud, exhausted, everything," Leckie told BBC Two after the win. "Hard to describe the emotions right now, we always believed as a group we could do it.
"We had our doubters but with our spirit, our belief, our work ethic and how close we are as a group, it shows on the pitch. That last 15-20 minutes, we battled until the end and it didn't matter what they threw at us, we weren't conceding.
"So proud but again we'll make the most of it tonight but then it's all about recovery because we've got another coming up."
Argentina and Australia will face off at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Saturday evening, with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs. Whoever wins will go on to face either the Netherlands or the United States, who do battle earlier that day.
