World Cup: Lionel Messi Inspires Argentina To Crucial Victory Over Mexico

Argentina have given their last-16 World Cup hopes a huge boost with a 2-0 victory over Mexico, with Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez on the scoresheet.

Defeat to outsiders Saudi Arabia in their opening Group G match in Qatar had left Argentina on the brink, knowing another loss would spell the end of their tournament chances.

But the Albiceleste just edged a disjointed and tetchy affair against their fellow Latin Americans at the Lusail stadium in Doha.

Lionel Scaloni’s side entered the match knowing that a defeat would see them eliminated from the competition ahead of their final match in the section against Poland.

However, the victory has moved them into second spot in Group C, one point behind leaders Poland and level on points with third-placed Saudi Arabia, who beat the South Americans 2-1 in their tournament opener.

Mexico, meanwhile, have now dropped to the bottom of the group, with Gerardo Martino’s side boasting just one point from their first two matches at the competition, but they can still qualify for the round of 16.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, and there were some late challenges in the early exchanges of the contest, which only increased the volume.

It was a desperately cagey contest pockmarked by niggling fouls, spiky challenges and few chances.

Argentina began the game hampered by the pressure of the circumstances and – more pertinently – Mexico’s energetic start, forcing the Copa America champions into aimless punts clear.

Lionel Scaloni gave his team a lofty buildup ahead of the contest, pledging: “We will give everything, every last bead of sweat, to turn this around.” Martinez went one step further: “We will break our backs for Argentina.” Yet, the opening hour was painfully listless as Argentina seemed to fret over the possibility of losing rather than the necessity to win.

Lionel Messi had been well-muzzled by Mexico’s hoard of dogged midfielders, forcing Argentina’s skipper to drop deep into his own half in search of a whisper of space for most of the match. ‘Most’ being the operative word.

As his former manager at international and club level, Mexico boss Gerardo Martino was well aware of Messi’s propensity to flicker into life. “Sometimes even without being on top of your game for 90 minutes, in five minutes everything can happen,” he prophetically warned.

Hector Herrera was caught on his heels as Angel Di Maria fired the ball across the edge of the box. Taming a fiercely struck pass with one touch, Messi swatted a low, fizzing effort into the bottom corner with his second, nestling it in the ratonera – the mouse nest, as they say in Argentina.

What they will be saying back in Buenos Aires and beyond will invariably be some form of thanks to their skipper.

Fernandez sealed three points which keeps Argentina’s future in their own hands in the 87th minute, bending a sumptuous effort into the top corner as Mexico completely switched off from a short corner. But this was Messi’s night. Victory ensures there may be more of those to come this winter. Argentina will certainly hope so.