Leo Messi and Julian Alvarez give the victory to the albiceleste, after a suffered match that could go to extra time
MADRID, Dec. 3 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Argentina team continued its growth in the World Cup in Qatar and signed its pass to the quarterfinals this Saturday after beating Australia (2-1), thanks to goals from Leo Messi and Julian Alvarez, in a suffered match that the from Graham Arnold they were able to send overtime at the last minute, but the saving hand of ‘Dibu’ Martinez prevented the blush.
The oceanic team came to put fear in the body thanks to Enzo Fernandez’s own goal that made it 2-1. In addition, with added time almost up, the Argentine goalkeeper saved a point-blank shot from Kuol, which would have tied the score.
Now, the team led by Lionel Scaloni will face the Netherlands in the next round, in which they hope to repeat the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup, when the albiceleste beat the Dutch team in a penalty shootout to get a place in the final , who would ultimately end up losing to Germany.
Thus, the entries in the middle of Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister improved the creation zone, while up top, ‘Papu’ Gomez replaced the injured Di Maria, together with Julian Alvarez and an extraordinary Leo Messi, who delighted his fans leading the game of his team.
With the roles well defined from the beginning, the ‘Socceroos’ started with the aim of trying to extend the excitement as long as possible and speed up their few options. Withdrawn into their own half, Graham Arnold’s men dominated the game at times, until some genius from Leo Messi ended up clearing up the doubts of his team.
The ’10’ from Argentina shot the diagonal in the area and looked for the cross shot to Ryan’s long post. The goalkeeper, surrounded by players, could not do anything to prevent the goal and the celebration of a stands dyed with albiceleste. From there, Scaloni’s men took a step forward and, now, they pulled gallons to dominate the clash and reach the break with an advantage on the scoreboard.
Already in the second half, the South Americans kept the same script on the pitch, aware of the need to close the game to avoid any scare. Thus, with more advanced pressure, Scaloni’s men found the prize at his insistence, causing a blunder by Ryan.
The Australian goalkeeper tried to dribble past De Paul in his own area, but after losing control, Julian Alvarez, very well placed, managed to take the ball from him to score at will into an empty goal. Good minutes from the albiceleste, who stepped on the accelerator and was a roller on the Australians who, far from hiding, knew how to rebuild themselves and hit back.
Goodwin hit a shot from medium distance that, after bouncing off the head of Enzo Fernandez, slipped between the three sticks before the astonished look of ‘Dibu’ Martinez. Australia came to dream of a tie at times, and even shortly after Behich had extra time in his boots. However, the final minutes left chances for both teams, the clearest being Kuol’s one-on-one in the last minute that narrowly managed the tie.
–RESULT: ARGENTINA, 2 – AUSTRALIA, 1. (1-0 at halftime).
ARGENTINA: ‘Dibu’ Martinez; Molina (Montiel, min.80), Romero, Otamendi, Acuna (Tagliafico, min.71); Enzo Fernandez, Mac Allister (Palacios, min.80), De Paul; ‘Papu’ Gomez (Martinez, min. 57), Messi and Julian Alvarez (Martinez, min. 71).
AUSTRALIA: Ryan; Degenk (Karacic, min.72), Souttar, Rowles, Behich; Leckie (Kuol, min. 72), Mooy, Irvine, Baccus (Hrustic, min. 58); McGree (Goodwin min, 58) and Duke (Maclaren, min. 72).
1-0 min. 35: Messi.
2-0 min. 57: Julian Alvarez.
2-1 min. 77: Enzo Fernandez (PP).
3-1 min. 81: Dumfries.
–REFEREE: Szymon Marciniak (POL). He admonished Irvine (min.15), Degenek (min.38) by Australia, already
–STADIUM: Ahmad Bin Ali.
