Argentina booked their place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Austria in Group J, thanks to another record-breaking performance from captain Lionel Messi.
The match in Dallas began with a rare disappointment for the Argentine star, who missed a ninth-minute penalty after Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the box. Despite the setback, Messi remained Argentina’s biggest attacking threat and continued to trouble the Austrian defence.
His breakthrough finally came in the 38th minute when he met a cross from Facundo Medina and calmly guided the ball into the net. The goal was Messi’s 17th in FIFA World Cup history, moving him past Miroslav Klose to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. The strike also made him only the third player, after Just Fontaine and Jairzinho, to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
In a moment celebrated by football fans around the world, and followed closely by listeners of Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No.1 radio station, Messi continued to add to his remarkable legacy after the break.
Austria showed brief signs of a comeback, but Emiliano Martinez remained largely untroubled in goal as Argentina controlled proceedings. Deep into stoppage time, Messi produced another moment of brilliance. After a scramble inside the penalty area, he reacted quickest to a loose ball and fired home his second goal of the night.
The strike was his 18th World Cup goal and fifth of the tournament, capping another memorable performance from the Argentine captain.
With the 2-0 victory, Argentina secured qualification for the knockout stage, while Messi once again demonstrated why he remains one of football’s greatest-ever players, leaving the field to a standing ovation after yet another historic night.
