Despite Lionel Messi missing a penalty, Argentina produced one of the most comfortable football scores of the weekend in the World Cup. Alexis Mac Allister (46) and Julian Alvarez (67), who scored after Wojciech Szczesny had saved a disputed Messi penalty, gave Argentina a well-deserved victory and moved them up to face Australia in the round of 16. Argentina would have faced France in the round of 16 had they finished in second place. Prior to Saudi Arabia’s stoppage-time goal in their 2-1 loss to Mexico, Czeslaw Michniewicz’s team was sensationally positioned to progress on fair play points. However, the Poles ultimately won on a goal difference. Poland’s qualification was therefore uncertain until the very last minute.
Following the devastating defeat to Saudi Arabia, Messi was obviously eager to improve on his game-winning effort against Mexico and compelled Szczesny to make a quick save. The game was entirely under Argentina’s control from the get-go. A big source of inventive energy for Argentina, the 35-year-old usually appeared in midfield and found teammates in perilous circumstances, but his finishing was never quite good enough. After a Molina cut-back, Alvarez, who was selected to start up front in place of Lautaro Martinez, squandered a fantastic opportunity. He should have scored, but a Poland defender stopped his low shot, and Marcos Acuna subsequently narrowly missed the follow-up.
Acuna wasted two more chances while Alvarez was stopped twice more in the first half with passes from Messi. Szczesny parried one attempt and saved another for the Manchester City striker. Szczesny made a fine stop on Messi’s penalty attempt after a VAR review determined that the Poland goalkeeper had unfairly fouled the Paris Saint-Germain striker as he headed a cross wide. This was Argentina’s best opportunity, though, and it was wasted by Argentina. Mac Allister of Brighton scored his first goal for his country following a fantastic cut-back from Nahuel Molina. The goal was scuffed into the bottom corner.
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