Football NOS•
Watch the Poland-Argentina summary here
Lionel Messi can breathe a sigh of relief, now that Argentina are the winners of Group C by defeating Poland (2-0). A week full of doubts and tears ends with a big smile on the face of the man I hope you will become world champion one day.
Perhaps Messi will meet the Dutch national team in the quarter-finals, which has become a realistic scenario after the results of Tuesday and Wednesday. Ranked second, Poland made sure of the next round, by staying ahead of the Mexicans on goal difference.
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Argentina and Poland qualified for the eighth finals
Messi’s criticism would have been harsh had he not managed to survive the group with Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia. After the disgrace suffered by the Saudis in the opening match, it seemed that the duel with the Poles was a script for Messi’s fate.
Things are not going well for Messi
Because he was the one who killed the biggest chance in the first half, it’s easy to get penalty after penalty one between Danny Macke and video referee Paul van Boekel. Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny hit Messi with his outstretched hands at the exit.
With the same strong arms, Cesny took the penalty kick from the Argentine, the thousandth save with which he kept the Poles going.
Watch the missed penalty and all the goals of the match below.
But shortly after the break there was that liberation for Messi and Argentina, when Alexis McAllister scored the opening goal. As his name suggests, he is a player of Scottish ancestry.
Alvarez by decision
Julian Alvarez is another potential star of the new generation. The Manchester City forward cut off a pass from Enzo Fernandez and beat Szczesny with a curling shot.
The World Cup was not yet Messi, who had enough opportunities to boost his goal tally in the one-sided duel.
At the moment, he’s scoring as many world finalists as his illustrious predecessor Diego Maradona (eight times) and misses out on that absolute Grand Prix. But in some matches everything can be different, as he knows after last week.
Argentina will meet Australia in the round of 16, and Poland will face defending champions France.
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