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IMAGE: Lionel Messi controls the ball towards Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo. {Photograph}: Claudio Villa/Getty Photographs
Lionel Messi thumped in a Sixty fourth-minute purpose and Enzo Fernandez added one other late within the sport to offer Argentina a 2-0 victory over battling Mexico of their World Cup Group C match on Saturday and reignite their match hopes.
Messi, who equalled Diego Maradona’s Argentina document of 21 World Cup matches, was nowhere to be seen for greater than an hour earlier than selecting up an Angel Di Maria go, discovering simply sufficient house and rifling in together with his left foot from 20 metres.
Substitute Fernandez made certain of the three factors when he curled an excellent shot into the highest nook within the 87th minute.
The consequence restored order for the Argentines in Group C after their shock opening 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.
IMAGE: Mexico’s Alexis Vega and Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel compete for the ball. {photograph}: Claudio Villa/Getty Photographs
IMAGE: Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez makes a save {Photograph}: Matthew Childs/Reuters
Argentina, on three factors, can assure progress with a win over Poland, prime on 4, of their remaining sport on Wednesday.
Mexico, who’ve now misplaced all 4 World Cup clashes with Argentina, have one level and should beat Saudi Arabia, on three, to have any likelihood of continuous their run of constructing the final 16 within the final seven World Cups, however even which may not be sufficient.
With the prospect of an Argentina elimination, tensions had been excessive on and off the ball in a scrappy first half however the two units of followers created an electrical environment within the stadium.
The opening interval didn’t reside as much as the match’s billing with neither crew desirous to commit too many gamers ahead and other than a free kick by Mexico’s Luis Chavez within the ninth minute that sailed previous the goalmouth, there have been few probabilities.
IMAGE: Mexico’s Hirving Lozano reacts throughout the match towards Argentina. {Photograph}: Stuart Franklin/Getty Photographs
Mexico’s high-pressing sport stifled most of their opponents’ assault and Argentine talisman Messi, struggled to search out any house to manoeuvre in a congested midfield.
Aside from a Lautaro Martinez effort that was properly off the mark and one other from Messi, Argentina had been toothless up entrance.
However in a significant blow to Mexico, skipper Andres Guardado, a veteran of 5 World Cups who till then had been a commanding presence in midfield, needed to be taken off injured within the forty second.
IMAGE: Lionel Messi takes on Mexico’s Andres Guardado. {Photograph}: Claudio Villa/Getty Photographs
The Mexicans nonetheless carved out two extra probabilities earlier than the break with Alexis Vega first curling a free kick over the wall for keeper Emiliano Martinez to avoid wasting and minutes later thundering a shot over the bar.
The South People appeared extra decided after the break however had no actual likelihood earlier than their 35-year captain dragged them out of hassle together with his second purpose of the match.
The stadium erupted in cheers as soon as extra with Fernandez’s late strike which sealed Argentina’s first win within the match and rekindled Messi’s hopes of a first-ever World Cup title.
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