Without a doubt, this match was intense. Australia were doing a lot better job than Poland. There was character, attitude, hunger, and fire, but then there was Lionel Messi. The man's legacy sounds like a fairytale; everything was impossible until he arrived. Beyond fantasy! inspiration to all humanity. How amazing he can be! Limitations is terrified to learn his address. The boy wonder is the man who is the legend today. Enjoy him while you can. A true entertainer.
After starting their World Cup campaign on shaky footing, losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, Argentina have rounded nicely into form, registering back-to-back 2-0 wins against Mexico and Poland. Six points proved to be enough to win Group C, setting up a rare meeting with Australia in what was a landmark match for captain Lionel Messiโhis 1,000th game for club and country!
#Qatar2022
โ Selecciรณn Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท (@Argentina) December 3, 2022
๐ Lionel #Messi llegรณ hoy al partido nรบmero mil de su carrera profesional. ยกQue sigan los rรฉcords, capitรกn! ๐
๐ https://t.co/13I7y45qvJ pic.twitter.com/s4gYDURFPU
Argentina made just one change from the XI that beat Poland 2-0 on Wednesday, with Gomez getting the start ahead of Di Maria.
#Qatar2022
โ Selecciรณn Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท (@Argentina) December 3, 2022
โฝ @Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท 0 ๐ #Australia ๐ฆ๐บ 0
โฑ 10' PT pic.twitter.com/eC1oN3fPwY
Australia followed up a 4-1 loss to France in the first match of Group D in incredible fashion, stringing together a pair of 1-0 victories over Tunisia and Denmark. The two wins put Graham Arnoldโs side into the last 16 of the World Cup for the second time in Socceroos history, after 2006, while a historic result against Argentina could have sent them into the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
Australia made a single change from the side that beat Denmark 1-0 last time out, with Baccus replacing Goodwin on the left wing.
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โ Socceroos (@Socceroos) December 3, 2022
Team news is IN. ๐#FIFAWorldCup #GiveIt100 #Socceroos pic.twitter.com/ZbEyKtNQ8f
This was the first meeting between Argentina and Australia since a September 2007 friendly, won 1-0 by Argentina thanks to a goal from Martin Demichelis. Itโs their first ever meeting at the World Cup.
Australia were comfortably out-possessed in all three of their World Cup matches thus far, with Arnoldโs side more focused on work off the ball. It was a similar scenario today at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, with Argentinaโs midfield trio pulling the strings and controlling the tempo.
Argentina spent the opening minutes circulating the ball from right to left, making sure everyone had a taste as they inch slowly toward the goal. Australia were pressing fiercely, defending their half with tremendous spiritโan attitude they needed to keep up for the remainder of the game.
Australia were doing their thing. Everything was going fine until, out of nowhere, Messi appeared. Yes, you guessed it. The Socceroos were now fined. It's an unusual assist for Otamendi, who was first deployed high up the field to attack the Argentina set-piece. A GOAL FOR MESSI IN GAME NUMBER 1,000! 1-0 ARGENTINA! Messiโs initial free-kick into the six-yard box was repelled by Souttar, but the Albiceleste retrieved territory and sought to strike from a central position in the second phase. Mac Allister played a pass into Otamendi, whose first touch teed Messi up for a shot beautifully, and the captain met it with a sweet hit into the bottom-left corner to beat Ryan!
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โ Selecciรณn Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท (@Argentina) December 3, 2022
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The wait for the triumph was prolonged. It wasn't arriving today. ALVAREZ DOUBLED ARGENTINAโS LEAD! 2-0! Argentinaโs pressing paid dividends, with the midfield moving up instantly to attempt and win the ball back following Ryanโs throw. A sloppy ball back from Rowles put the goalie under pressure inside his area and enabled Alvarez to steal it back and slot it into an empty net!
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โ Selecciรณn Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท (@Argentina) December 3, 2022
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Australia saw even less of the ball in the second half than they did in the first, with Argentina doing a good job of controlling the tempo and denying their opponents any momentum at all. Australia went for 30 minutes without attempting a shot of any kind, with Emiliano Martinez not forced into a save in the entirety of the match.
Itโs a goal out of absolutely nowhere. Australia got one back! 2-1! GAME ON! with Goodwinโs effort from 25 yards out, following a repelled cross, taking a touch off Fernandezโs face, and wrong-footing the goalkeeper! It went down as an own goal for the Benfica midfielder, giving the Socceroos a chance with 13 minutes left!
In the dying moments, Australia almost equalized! A cross to the far post was controlled inside the penalty area with a lovely touch by Kuol, who immediately found himself in enough space to turn. The substitute fired a low shot that Emiliano Martinez saved superbly, to the relief of all Argentina!
๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ซ-๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐โ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐.
