ARLINGTON, Texas — As Argentina captain Lionel Messi found his way to an unusual position for the start of the final Group J match against Jordan on Saturday night, the substitute’s bench, fans inside AT&T Stadium chanted his name.
Sports News
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni had said ahead of the game that, with the team already qualified in top spot, certain players needed rest and it would give him a chance to gauge the depth of his roster.
So, with Messi sitting out, Scaloni opted for a mixture of experience and youth against Jordan. Giovani Lo Celso, Giuliano Simeone, Nico Paz and Marcos Senesi made their World Cup debuts, while defenders Nicolás Otamendi (38) and Nicolás Tagliafico (33) balanced out the line up’s average age.
“Today was a match to avoid risking players and to be able to see players who can fill different positions,” Scaloni said after the match. And it worked, as La Albiceleste ran out easy 3-1 winners.
Key Moments
By the 10th minute, Argentina had enjoyed 83% of possessions and consistently pegged Jordan back into their own half; nine minutes later, midfielder Lo Celso broke the deadlock with a free kick from just outside the box.
Messi would usually have been the one to set up from that distance, but Lo Celso was tasked with the responsibility and struck a sweet shot to become only the second Argentina player to score in this World Cup … behind Messi.
Striker Lautaro Martínez then doubled the score before halftime with a penalty — again, taking over from where Messi would have stood — and celebrated his first World Cup goal with a cleansing motion to signal a fresh start.
Analysis
“The boys played a good match; we were able to give minutes to everyone and that makes us happy,” Scaloni said after the match. “Lo Celso couldn’t be in the previous World Cup [due to injury]; Lautaro hadn’t been able to score. We’re happy for them. Now the good part is coming.”
Of course, no Argentina game at this World Cup could be complete without a Messi goal. After Mousa Al-Tamari had surprisingly pulled a goal back for Jordan, the 39-year-old came on for Martinez in the 60th minute and was able to add to his incredible tournament tally with signature free kick, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Messi is the only player to have scored in seven consecutive World Cup games, the longest streak in history — having been one of only three players to score in six straight games alongside France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho — and also extended his personal goal-scoring record at the tournament to 19.
Stay informed with the latest news on Wararka.so — your trusted source for Somalia and world news.
