Kolkata: A dominant Argentina beat Poland 2-0 at the World Cup to advance in the round of 16. Lionel Messi and team displayed a valorant work at the World Cup 2022 in the Stadium 974 in Qatar.
Goals from Alexis Allister and Julian Alvarez in the second-half helped Argentina to qualify into the next round and keep the hopes alive. The 1986 winners were shocked by Saudi Arabia in their opening game this year.
Although being outplayed for the entire 90 minutes, Poland advanced to the knockout phase in second place thanks to a better goal differential than Mexico and will meet Group D winners France on Sunday. Argentina will play Australia on Saturday for a place in the quarterfinals.
Seguimos avanzando #TodosJuntos đĒ pic.twitter.com/Pu8HDkdUvI
— SelecciÃŗn Argentina đĻđˇ (@Argentina) December 1, 2022
Messi was in his 22nd World Cup game â and 999th for club and country â breaking a tie with Diego Maradona for the most by an Argentine in the world’s greatest competition.
Argentina dominated the first 45 minutes but had nothing to show for it, with the halftime score 0-0. Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saved a Messi penalty awarded by VAR.
Szczesny had been kept busy the whole half as Poland’s defence was repeatedly penetrated, but the Juventus goalkeeper remained firm to deny the Argentines, who became more confident with each attack.
Vamos selecciÃŗn @Argentina pic.twitter.com/v2MsWdAGTb
— Emi MartÃnez (@emimartinezz1) November 30, 2022
He first denied Alvarez, who broke through the offside trap, before teeing up Angel Di Maria, who attempted to score immediately from a corner kick.
Argentina took the lead right after the restart, when Brighton striker Mac Allister turned a Nahuel Molina cross with a first-time shot that beat Szczesny and bounced against the far post.
đ Imagine scoring your first ever international goal at the #FIFAWorldCup
Alexis Mac Allister seals top spot for Argentina and earns himself the @Budweiser Player of the Match award.
đĩđą #POLARG đĻđˇ #POTM #YoursToTake #BringHomeTheBud pic.twitter.com/1JFwj9u6d9
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 30, 2022
Alvarez, a Manchester City youth, made his international debut midway through the second half, taking up a pass from Enzo Fernandez in the penalty area and blasting a shot past Szczesny to all but secure the three points.
Versus Poland’s place in the round of 16 potentially being decided by a fair play (yellow and red card accumulation) tiebreaker with Mexico, Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz had encouraged his players to avoid unnecessary bookings as the match progressed.
