Messi scores in vital Argentina win over Mexico

Lionel Messi produced a moment of trademark magic to help keep Argentina's World Cup hopes alive with victory in a tense encounter against Mexico.

In a cauldron of noise at Lusail Stadium, Messi and Argentina knew defeat would end their hopes of reaching the last 16 after only two games following the stunning loss to Saudi Arabia in their opener.

The tension was mounting as Mexico frustrated Messi in an attritional game, especially in a first half littered with fouls and stoppages that never allowed Argentina to gain any momentum.

Messi changed all that after 64 minutes when he took one touch to control a pass with his left foot before drilling an unerring finish past Mexico keeper Guillermo Ochoa into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

The masses of Argentina supporters in a crowd of 88,966 went wild in celebration and relief as their World Cup campaign got back on track.

Enzo Fernandez added a superb second with a curling shot into the top corner three minutes from time but it was Messi who made the breakthrough and the difference.

Victory in a tough final Group C game against Poland will send them into the knockout phase.

Messi delivers the magic once again

Messi cut a frustrated figure for the first 45 minutes here, pushed to the margins as this crucial game descended into a bitty affair spoiled by fouls, with little of quality on show.

It was when the game settled down, the stoppages reduced and a football match broke out that Messi was finally able to exert his influence, wandering far and wide on the vast expanse of Lusail Stadium before finally making the decisive contribution.

In an ear-splitting atmosphere, Messi turned up the volume even more with that breakthrough goal that finally broke Mexico down and reignited Argentina's World Cup.

Messi produced two perfect touches with that wand of a left foot, one to control and one to arrow a finish beyond Ochoa's outstretched left hand.

It was what all of Argentina hoped for and demanded from their great talisman and, as so often before for club and country, the 35-year-old produced when they needed him most.

This highly-touted side had faced real jeopardy. Argentina knew defeat would finish them here in Qatar. Messi knew defeat would end his dream of lifting the World Cup, the major honour missing from his glittering and extensive honours list.

He followed another superstar in Kylian Mbappe, whose two goals against Denmark put France into the last 16, and he showed here he is determined not to be outshone by the other members of his elite group.

Mexico, backed by their own massed ranks of fans, were in no mood to step aside and it took that big moment to unlock them, bowing to Messi as so many others have done before.

There is still work to do for Argentina when they face Group C leaders Poland, who boast a sporting icon of their own in striker Robert Lewandowski, but the celebrations at the final whistle gave the impression that a team hotly tipped to lift the World Cup at this same Lusail Stadium believe their show is now on the road thanks to their captain and resident genius.

Player of the match

Mac AllisterAlexis Mac Allister

Argentina

Squad number20Player nameMac Allister

Squad number24Player nameFernández

Squad number10Player nameMessi

Squad number25Player nameMartínez

Squad number13Player nameRomero

Squad number9Player nameÁlvarez

Squad number14Player namePalacios

Squad number26Player nameMolina

Squad number11Player nameDi María

Squad number22Player nameMartínez

Squad number8Player nameAcuña

Squad number18Player nameRodríguez

Squad number7Player nameDe Paul

Squad number19Player nameOtamendi

Squad number23Player nameMartínez

Squad number4Player nameMontiel

Mexico

Squad number13Player nameOchoa

Squad number22Player nameLozano

Squad number26Player nameÁlvarez

Squad number10Player nameVega

Squad number3Player nameMontes

Squad number2Player nameAraújo

Squad number16Player nameHerrera

Squad number15Player nameMoreno

Squad number18Player nameGuardado

Squad number25Player nameAlvarado

Squad number9Player nameJiménez

Squad number24Player nameChávez

Squad number23Player nameGallardo

Squad number21Player nameAntuna

Squad number14Player nameGutiérrez

Line-ups

Argentina

Formation 4-4-2

23Martínez

4Montiel19Otamendi25Martínez8Acuña

11Di María7De Paul18Rodríguez20Mac Allister

10Messi22Martínez

Substitutes

Mexico

Formation 5-3-2

13Ochoa

26Álvarez2Araújo3Montes15Moreno23Gallardo

24Chávez16Herrera18Guardado

22Lozano10Vega

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Argentina 2, Mexico 0.

Second Half ends, Argentina 2, Mexico 0.

Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Jesús Gallardo (Mexico).

Foul by Lionel Messi (Argentina).

Héctor Moreno (Mexico) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina).

Luis Chávez (Mexico) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Héctor Moreno (Mexico).

Roberto Alvarado (Mexico) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Roberto Alvarado (Mexico).

Foul by Enzo Fernández (Argentina).

Luis Chávez (Mexico) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Goal! Argentina 2, Mexico 0. Enzo Fernández (Argentina) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi following a corner.

Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Néstor Araújo.

Corner, Mexico. Conceded by Nicolás Otamendi.

Foul by Exequiel Palacios (Argentina).

Uriel Antuna (Mexico) wins a free kick on the right wing.

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