Argentina defeat Mexico as France sail through to knockout stage

Qatar: Lionel Messi has kept his dream of winning his first World Cup alive by rifling in the opening goal in the team’s 2-0 victory over Mexico in the World Cup, as France sailed through to the next round with a 2-1 win over Denmark.

The Argentine, competing in his fifth World Cup at age 35, has won every other major title in his career but has failed to lift the coveted trophy despite making the final in 2014.

Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates scoring his team’s first goal against Mexico in their World Cup clash.Credit: Getty

But his 64th minute strike that was followed by substitute Enzo Fernandez’s sublime effort three minutes from time, reignited their hopes of advancing past the group stage after their shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opener.

Messi, who equalled Diego Maradona’s Argentina record of 21 matches and eight goals at the World Cup, was nowhere to be seen for more than an hour before picking up an Angel Di Maria pass, finding just enough space and rifling it in from 20 metres.

Substitute Fernandez made sure of the victory when he curled a superb shot into the top corner.

Argentina, on three points, can guarantee progress with a win over Poland, top on four, in their final game this week.

“Today starts another World Cup for Argentina,” Messi said. “I tell people the same thing, that they continue to believe. Today we did what we had to do.”

Mexico, who have now lost all four World Cup clashes with Argentina, have one point and must beat Saudi Arabia, on three, to have any chance of continuing their run of making the last 16 in the last seven World Cups, but even that might not be enough.

With the prospect of an Argentina elimination, tensions were high on and off the ball in a scrappy first half but with the two sets of fans creating an electric atmosphere in the stadium.

Neither team wanted to commit too many players forward and apart from a free kick by Mexico’s Luis Chavez in the ninth minute that sailed past the goalmouth there were few chances.

Mexico’s high pressing game stifled most of their opponents’ attack and Messi struggled to find any space to manoeuvre in a congested midfield.

Apart from a Lautaro Martinez effort that was well off the mark and another from Messi, Argentina were toothless up front.

But in a major blow to Mexico, skipper Andres Guardado, a veteran of five World Cups who until then had been a commanding presence in midfield, had to be taken off injured in the 42nd minute.

The Mexicans still carved out two more chances with Alexis Vega before the break, but the tables would turn in the second half.

The South Americans looked more determined after the break and their captain and talisman dragged them out of trouble with his second goal of the tournament.

The stadium erupted in cheers once more with Fernandez’s late strike which sealed Argentina’s first win in the tournament and rekindled Messi’s hopes of a first-ever World Cup title that would match that of the late Maradona from 1986.

France secure last 16 spot

In one of the earlier matches in Doha, Kylian Mbappe scored twice to send champions France into the last 16 of the World Cup as they beat Denmark 2-1 in their group D clash at the 974 Stadium on Sunday morning AEDT, making them the first side to qualify for the knockout stage.

France top the group on six points, three ahead of Australia, who beat Tunisia 1-0 on Saturday evening, with the Danes and the Tunisians both on one point.

Marcus Thuram and Kylian Mbappe of France celebrate after the teams 2-1 win over Denmark in Doha.Credit: Getty Images

In the final round for the group, France will take on Tunisia and Denmark meet the Socceroos at 2am AEDT on Thursday.

France enjoyed the better chances in a tight, tense first half as Adrien Rabiot went close with a header and the Danes were forced into a number of last-ditch blocks to keep their clean sheet intact.

It was not to last and Mbappe put the French ahead in the 61st minute, crowning a superb high-speed French counter with a bouncing first-time finish from Theo Hernandez’s clever pull-back.

Always a danger from set pieces, Andreas Christensen put the Danes level seven minutes later, stealing in behind the defence and stooping to head home.

Neither side seemed content with a draw and Rabiot fired a spectacular volley over in the 80th minute, and a minute later substitute Martin Braithwaite fired a first-time effort of his own just wide of the near post.

The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mbappe popped up in the 86th minute at the far post to cushion home an Antoine Griezmann cross from close range to restore the lead to send the travelling French fans into raptures.

Denmark threw everything forward looking for a second equaliser, leaving acres of space at the back, but their late attacks against a side they beat twice in the recent Nations League campaign lacked precision and the French held on for the win that put them through.

Lewandowski off the mark

An emotional Robert Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal as Poland brought Saudi Arabia back down to earth with a bump with a 2-0 group C victory that rejuvenated their tournament campaign.

Poland’s record scorer, who missed a penalty in their opening stalemate with Mexico and drew a blank in Russia four years ago, was visibly moved after finally finding the net, wiping his eyes as teammates piled on top of him.

The striker had pounced on a mistake in the 82nd minute to double Poland’s advantage after Piotr Zielinski had given them a first-half lead at the Education City Stadium.

After completing one of the tournament’s greatest ever shocks when they cut Argentina down to size in their opener, the Saudis, who missed a first-half penalty, found Poland a tougher nut to crack.

The win moved Poland to four points, one more than Saudi Arabia, and left them needing a draw in their final game against Argentina to guarantee their spot in the knockouts.

The performance was also a great improvement from their opener against Mexico, when coach Czeslaw Michniewicz had faced scrutiny for an over-cautious approach.

“Only together we can succeed,” he told reporters. “The result will sweeten everything, when you win everything hurts less.”

Reuters

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