…..Argentina 2-0 Austria…..
ARLINGTON-(MaraviPost)-The confirmation reports that Argentina secured a place in the World Cup 2026 knockout stage with a 2-0 win over Austria in Group J on June 22 at Dallas Stadium.
Lionel Messi, playing at age 39, recovered from an early penalty miss to score twice and become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
The defending champions broke the deadlock before half-time through a slick team move initiated by Messi.
Messi timed his run perfectly to meet Facundo Medina’s low cross and finished first-time into the bottom corner.
His goal on 38 minutes took him to 17 World Cup goals, moving him past Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16.
Messi had already equaled Klose’s mark with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 opening win over Algeria last week.
The goal made him the sole holder of the record for most goals scored in World Cup history.
Austria pressed late for an equalizer, but Argentina absorbed the pressure and struck again in stoppage time.
In the 95th minute, Messi pounced on a loose ball after Julián Álvarez’s shot was saved and fired past the Austrian defense for his second of the night.
The strike was his 18th World Cup goal and his fifth of the tournament.
Deep into added time, Messi nearly completed a hat-trick with a long-range free kick that skimmed just wide of the post.
The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 victory for Argentina and sent them through to the round of 32.
As Messi walked off the pitch, the stadium erupted, with cameras capturing Jurgen Klopp embracing him on the touchline.
The Argentine captain stood with his teammates to salute the fans, marking another milestone in a career that continues to defy time.
With the win, Argentina keep their title defense on track in North America and reaffirm their status as one of the tournament favorites.
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