📰 Table Of Contents
Match report
Lionel Messi’s Argentina kept their World Cup dreams alive and well on Saturday evening, courtesy of what proved to be a surprisingly nervy win over an underdog Australian outfit.
The Albiceleste and Socceroos went toe to toe a short time ago.
With confidence high in the camp on the back of a pair of successive victories en route to table-topping status in Group C, Lionel Scaloni’s Argentinians headed into proceedings as overwhelming favourites to book their spot in the competition’s quarter-finals.
In turn, it did not come as a massive surprise when it was indeed the South American champions who went on to open the scoring in Al-Rayyan.
Latching onto a loose Nicolas Otamendi touch inside the Australian penalty area, Lionel Messi bagged the first World Cup knockout goal of his career, courtesy of a trademark left-footed finish into the far corner:
LIONEL MESSI SCORES IN HIS 1000TH GAME 🔥
That’s 789 goals for the Argentina forward as he scores his first #FIFAWorldCup knockout strike 🤯#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/pioPUpZnhI
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022
Argentina then appeared to have put the clash to bed to bed as a contest just shy of the hour mark, upon Julian Alvarez capitalising on a needless error on the part of Australia no.1 Matt Ryan.
That is a howler from Matt Ryan 🙈
It’s an absolute gift for Julian Alvarez who pounces on the Australia keeper’s error to double Argentina’s lead 😬#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/RAt1BYVEPt
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022
This came as substitute Craig Goodwin’s speculative long-range effort took the mightiest of deflections, to nestle in the far corner of Emi Martinez’s net.
AUSTRALIA ARE BACK IN IT 😳
Craig Goodwin’s shot takes a huge deflection off Enzo Fernandez which wrong foots Emi Martinez 🙈
Game on!#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/PY4Hrlbla1
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022
From here, to their credit, Graham Arnold’s side pushed hard for an equaliser, and may well have found it if not for, first, a moment of world-class defending from Manchester United star Lisandro Martinez, and later a last-gasp save on the part of namesake Emi Martinez.
In the end, though, Argentina did enough to secure the win, in the process booking their spot in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup.
Player ratings
Argentina
- Emi Martinez – 6
- Nahuel Molina – 5.5
- Cristian Romero – 6
- Nicolas Otamendi – 6.5
- Marcos Acuna – 6.5
- Enzo Fernandez – 6
- Rodrigo De Paul – 7.5
- Alexis MacAllister – 6
- Lionel Messi – 9
- Papu Gomez – 6
- Julian Alvarez – 7.5
Substitutes: Lisandro Martinez – 7, Lautaro Martinez – 3, Nicolas Tagliafico – 5, Exequiel Palacios – N/A, Gonzalo Montiel – N/A
Australia
- Maty Ryan – 3.5
- Milos Degenek – 5.5
- Harry Souttar – 6.5
- Kye Rowles – 6.5
- Aziz Behich 6
- Mathew Leckie – 5
- Aaron Mooy – 6
- Jackson Irvine – 5.5
- Keanu Baccus – 5
- Riley McGree – 5.5
- Mitchell Duke – 4.5
Substitutes: Craig Goodwin – 6.5, Ajdin Hrustic – 6, Garang Kuol – 5, Fran Karacic – 6, Jamie MacLaren – 5
Key stats
Most World Cup goals scored for Argentina:
🇦🇷 10 – Gabriel Batistuta
🇦🇷 9 – Lionel Messi 🔺
🇦🇷 8 – Diego Maradona
🇦🇷 8 – Guillermo StábileMessi finally gets one in the knockout stage. ✊
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) December 3, 2022
Enzo Fernandez’s first half by numbers vs. Australia:
100% ground duels won
95% pass accuracy
69 touches
60 passes completed
3 clearances
2 long balls completedKeeping things ticking along. ⌚ pic.twitter.com/5Hey9e66K8
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 3, 2022
Lionel Messi has now scored as many major tournament goals as Cristiano Ronaldo (22). 🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/dmPSldbimp
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 3, 2022
789 – In his 1,000th career appearance, Lionel Messi has scored his 789th goal, and his first in the knockout stages of the World Cup. Breakthrough. pic.twitter.com/0gPeYqcLmR
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 3, 2022
No player attempted (8) or completed (4) more long passes in the first half of Argentina vs. Australia than Harry Souttar.
He continues to turn heads. 👀#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Ft4gpCmqUy
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 3, 2022
6 – Julián Álvarez is the sixth player to score in each of his first two World Cup starts for Argentina, and the first to do so since Hernán Crespo in 2006. Araña. pic.twitter.com/yUyNLeDdty
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 3, 2022
⚠️ | QUICK STAT
Australia’s first-ever goal in the #FIFAWorldCup knockout stage turned out to be an own goal by Enzo Fernández.
Still, the Socceroos won’t care as they now have around 10 minutes to complete the comeback! 🇦🇺💫#ARGAUS #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/uVCYbmibMW
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) December 3, 2022
Lisandro Martinez in 40 minutes vs. Australia:
100% aerial duels won
86% pass accuracy
25 touches
18 passes completed
2 long balls completed
2 clearances
1 blockWhat an unbelievable block. 🪓😤 pic.twitter.com/otnAVCZd9t
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 3, 2022
Most chances created at the World Cup since Opta records began in 1966:
◉ 67 – Diego Maradona
◉ 67 – Lionel MessiIt was written in the stars. ✨#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/OyE8ry4TcM
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 3, 2022
Lionel Messi’s game by numbers vs. Australia:
90% pass accuracy
58 passes
10 passes into final ⅓
9 touches in opp. box (most)
6 shots (most)
4 chances created (most)
2 Big Chances created (most)
2 shots on target
2 fouls won
1 tackle made
1 goalWow. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/ugyJhTXZLR
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 3, 2022
Messi saw those yellow and green jerseys and said: “no problem.” Feels like his tournament now.
— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) December 3, 2022
Julián Álvarez scoring in World Cup knockout games with Lionel Messi 🇦🇷
Rewind a few years and he was just a kid trying to get a picture with his hero 🥺 pic.twitter.com/XUyL5GDqIR
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 3, 2022
Just met Messi 🐐 🇦🇷 🐐 pic.twitter.com/HL0xefObBd
— VUJ (@DavidVujanic) December 3, 2022
Shoutout to the Argentina fans. They’re incredible! 👏🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/Uk8b1aT9v5
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 3, 2022
No footballer will ever get to Messi’s level. NO ONE!!!
— BeksFCB (@Joshua_Ubeku) December 3, 2022
Well… that’s that. Was fun while it lasted, but seems like Matt Ryan really wants Messi to win that 1st World Cup. Fair play, lad. 🙃
— Neal 🇦🇺 (@NealGardner_) December 3, 2022
Let’s go, Licha 💪 🔴⚫️ https://t.co/ioIipfRCYz
— Newell’s Old Boys – English (@Newells_en) December 3, 2022
Martinez being tested more by his own defense🤣 #arg #Aus
— Joel Beya (@joelbeya) December 3, 2022
Such a pity. Australia were doing so well overall to contain since the game started. This was so bad it should go down as an own goal. pic.twitter.com/BX5uc9gZno
— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) December 3, 2022
Still can’t quite believe a/ that run from Australia’s Aziz Behich and b/ that tackle from Lisandro Martinez. Incredible.
— Jason Burt (@JBurtTelegraph) December 3, 2022
Lautaro is showing Lukaku he is not the only shit finisher at Inter. #FIFAWorldCup
— Meytar Zeevi (@RossoneriBlog) December 3, 2022
Look at what that win meant to Martinez ❤️🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/EQbl4Kmmhs
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 3, 2022
Rio Ferdinand on Lionel Messi: “Messi has just put on the best individual display we have seen at this World Cup… by a mile.” pic.twitter.com/p0zEk4zXDO
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 3, 2022
But Australia gave it a real go. A big Martinez save denied 18-year-old Kuol a late equaliser, and what a story that would have been for the soon-to-be Newcastle forward. Another box-office World Cup tie.🍿 pic.twitter.com/fpBN5HcQXy
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 3, 2022
An unstoppable force meets an immovable object 🔥
Argentina vs Netherlands in the Quarter Final is going to be tasty! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/SEElwprkDS
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 3, 2022
Unreal scenes at full time 😲
The Argentina fans are in full voice as their nation secure a 2-1 win over Australia to set up a #FIFAWorldCup quarter-final clash with the Netherlands 👏#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/3Luiue3cSr
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022
Netherlands 3-1 United States: Match report, player ratings, expert analysis, fan reaction and more
