Match report
Lionel Messi took centre stage on Saturday night, as an Argentina outfit continuing to look some way short of their brilliant best kept the country’s World Cup dream alive.
The Albiceleste marked their return to action a short time ago.
Fresh off a shock opening day defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia, Lionel Scaloni’s troops made the trip to Lusail, for a showdown with Mexico.
The Argentines headed into proceedings in the knowledge that a positive result was a must, with a defeat set to see the South American champions sent packing from the competition.
And, when all was said and done, clinch a vital return to winning ways is precisely what the evening’s favourites went on to do.
A predictably tense 90 minutes was ultimately decided by a pair of moments of individual brilliance.
After being picked out by Angel Di Maria 25 yards from goal, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner took one touch to settle himself, before driving a pinpoint effort into the far corner of the Mexican net:
Lionel Messi’s incredible goal for your viewing pleasure 😍
Sit back, relax and enjoy the greatest to ever do it 🐐pic.twitter.com/haej4JRwTF
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) November 26, 2022
Then, as proceedings entered the closing stages, Messi laid on substitute Enzo Fernandez, who danced his way into shooting position, before bending a sumptuous strike beyond the dive of Guillermo Ochoa.
Argentina, from here, stood firm, to climb clear of Saudi Arabia into 2nd in the World Cup Group C table, ahead of a final day showdown with leaders Poland.
A victory over the Poles next time out, in turn, could well see the Albiceleste recover from nothing short of a disastrous tournament start, to march onto the knockout rounds as group winners.
Player ratings
Argentina
- Martinez – 6
- Montiel – 5
- Otamendi – 7
- Martinez – 6.5
- Acuna – 6
- Guido Rodriguez – 5.5
- De Paul – 5
- MacAllister – 6.5
- Messi – 7.5
- Di Maria – 6
- Martinez – 4.5
Substitutes: Fernandez – 7.5, Alvarez – 7, Molina – 5.5, Palacios – 5.5, Romero – 6
Mexico
- Ochoa – 4.5
- Araujo – 5.5
- Montes – 6
- Moreno – 6
- Gallardo – 4.5
- Herrera – 6
- Chavez – 5
- Guardado – 5.5
- Lozano – 5.5
- Vega – 5
Key stats
There were 16 fouls in the first half of Argentina vs. Mexico 🥊 pic.twitter.com/PnYKGc7jDs
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 26, 2022
⚠️ | QUICK STAT
Following his goal against Mexico, Lionel Messi has now scored 8 goals at the #FIFAWorldCup — as many as Diego Maradona scored in his career.
Gabriel Batistuta (10) is the only player in Argentina’s history with more goals at the tournament.#ARGMEX #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/C1azC5BJoy
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) November 26, 2022
Argentina have faced Mexico four times at the World Cup:
🇦🇷 6-3 🇲🇽 (1930)
🇦🇷 2-1 🇲🇽 (2006)
🇦🇷 3-1 🇲🇽 (2010)
🇦🇷 2-0 🇲🇽 (2022)The 100% record continues. 💯
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) November 26, 2022
FT: Argentina 2-0 Mexico
xG: 0.28-0.26
Shots: 5-4
Shots on target: 2-1
Accurate passes: 445-284
Corners: 4-2
Possession: 59%-41%
Fouls committed: 15-19Argentina find a way. 🇦🇷
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 26, 2022
4 – Since his #WorldCup debut in 2006, Lionel Messi 🇦🇷 has scored four goals from outside the box, more than any other player in the competition in this period (3 for Diego Forlán and David Villa). Decisive. pic.twitter.com/ftlZ5lowKz
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 26, 2022
Fan reaction
Get Paredes and Enzo in, the midfield don’t exist.
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) November 26, 2022
alexis vega and chucky lozano are really torturing this argentina defense, beautiful to watch
— V (@Vltrv) November 26, 2022
Wait Dybala is on the bench? And you’re making me watch Di Maria drag his dusty self up and down the pitch all game?
— Casey Evans (@Casey_Evans_) November 26, 2022
A casual reminder that Lionel Messi has spent his entire career “proving it” and has nothing left to prove to reasonable humans.
— Miriti Murungi (@NutmegRadio) November 26, 2022
This is the worst half of football that RDP has played in an Argentina shirt.
Where has his Copa América form gone?
— EiF (@EiFSoccer) November 26, 2022
if only James Ward-Prowse had been born in Buenos Aires
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) November 26, 2022
It’s quite incredible that this #ARG team went 36 games unbeaten before the #FIFAWorldCup. I saw them in Finalissma at Wembley and they were exceptional.
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) November 26, 2022
Argentina can only win this game through individual Brilliance by Messi or Di Maria. It’s the only way
— Kay💧 (@KayPoissonOne) November 26, 2022
Such a relief to see Messi being Messi. If only a glimmer of the real deal, still magic.
— Rob Davies (@ByRobDavies) November 26, 2022
MESSI 🤯😮🇦🇷
— Newell’s Old Boys – English (@Newells_en) November 26, 2022
Messi rn pic.twitter.com/3o1Q0FHGh3
— ksi (@KSI) November 26, 2022
Enzo is unique in many ways. I have no more words to add.
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) November 26, 2022
Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alverez have to be regulars on the team-sheet, it’s absolutely non-negotiable. If Scaloni’s figured that out, Argentina will be fine. Sounds like an oversimplification, but that’s how it is.
— Neal 🇦🇺 (@NealGardner_) November 26, 2022
Poland vs Saudi Arabia: Match report, player ratings, expert analysis, fan reaction and more
