Argentina vs Austria
Photography by: Peter Bonilla
Lionel Messi added another milestone to a career overflowing with them, scoring twice as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 in Arlington to secure a place in the World Cup knockout rounds and strengthen its status as one of the tournament favorites.
The defending champions were made to work for all three points against an organized Austrian side, but once again it was Messi who separated the teams. His brace not only sent Argentina through with a perfect six points from two matches, it also elevated the 38-year-old to the top of the World Cup's all-time scoring charts with 18 career goals.
The afternoon, however, did not begin according to script.
Inside the opening 10 minutes, Messi had the chance to break the record from the penalty spot after Lautaro Martínez was brought down in the box. Instead, the Argentine captain dragged his effort wide, drawing a collective gasp from the sea of sky blue inside Dallas Stadium.
If the miss rattled him, it barely showed.
Austria, fresh off its opening victory over Jordan, frustrated Argentina for long stretches of the first half with an aggressive press and disciplined defensive shape. David Alaba produced several timely interventions, while Marcel Sabitzer nearly tested Emiliano Martínez with a dangerous free kick as Ralf Rangnick's side looked capable of causing problems of its own.
But moments of brilliance have long defined Messi's career, and another arrived in the 38th minute.
Facundo Medina's pass into the penalty area rolled through after Thiago Almada cleverly allowed it to run, leaving Messi with just enough space to guide a first-time finish into the bottom corner. The strike erased memories of the earlier penalty miss and moved him past Miroslav Klose as the World Cup's most prolific scorer.
Argentina controlled much of the second half without ever completely putting the match to bed. Austria remained within striking distance and threatened sporadically, but clear-cut chances were hard to come by against Lionel Scaloni's disciplined back line.
The knockout blow finally arrived deep into stoppage time.
After Julián Álvarez saw an effort blocked during a late counterattack, Messi stayed alert inside the area, pouncing on the loose ball before calmly slotting home his second of the afternoon to seal the result and put another exclamation point on a record-breaking performance.
Beyond the historic numbers, the victory guarantees Argentina a place in the Round of 32 with one group match still to play. Messi also extended his remarkable run of scoring in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining a select group of players to accomplish the feat.
Argentina will now turn its attention to its final Group J fixture against Jordan, while Austria must defeat Algeria and hope results elsewhere fall in its favor to keep its World Cup journey alive.
For Messi, though, another chapter has already been written. On a stage where he has built much of his legend, he found yet another way to raise the bar.
