LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi scored another important goal for Argentina in a 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday that ignited the team’s World Cup chances.
Messi took a touch from Angel Di Maria’s pass across the face of the penalty area and fired a low shot from 25 meters (yards) into the bottom corner in the 64th minute.
He ran towards the Argentina fans with his arms outstretched before being mobbed by his jubilant teammates. He looked emotional as he grabbed and shook his shirt, then blew a kiss to the crowd before unfurling his arms.
Substitute Enzo Fernandez added a second goal in the 87th minute.
Argentina bounced back from a shock 1-2 loss to Saudi Arabia in their first match. The team is second in Group C ahead of their final game against Poland on Wednesday and may need to win to advance.
Messi, 35, is likely to play in his last World Cup, the only major trophy missing from his collection.
It was Messi’s eighth World Cup goal – the same number scored in the tournament by rival Cristiano Ronaldo and also Diego Maradona, the Argentine goalscoring great to whom he is so often compared.
For some, Messi needs to win the World Cup to join Pele and Maradona as football’s greatest players. Thanks to this win, that could still happen.
Until his goal, Messi endured a frustrating game, finding himself with two defenders every time he received the ball.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made five changes from the Saudi Arabia match in an attempt to inject a little more energy into the squad, but they initially made little difference.
The momentum of the game changed completely after Messi’s goal, his 93rd in international matches and second of the tournament after a penalty against Saudi Arabia.
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