Argentina secured a 2-0 win over Poland in their last group stage match on Thursday and stormed into the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The Lionel Messi-led team won back to back matches after the shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia in their first match. With six points, Argentina topped Group C followed by Poland, Mexico and bottom-placed Saudi Arabia. They will now face Australia in the round of 16.
Alexis MacAllister and Julián Álvarez were the goal scorers for the Argentina team who could have won 3-0 but for a missed penalty by Messi. In the 39th minute of the match, Poland conceded a penalty after Video Assistant Referees(VAR) ruled in favour of Argentina that goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had fouled on Messi while trying to catch the ball. But in a remarkable manner, the Poland goalkeeper saved the penalty stroke from the Argentina captain.
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Messi shared his thoughts on the missed penalty when the match was evenly tied at 0-0.
“I was really frustrated to have missed the penalty, because I knew that a goal could change the whole match, that it makes you play in a different way. But I think that from the penalty I missed, the team came out stronger,” Messi was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The Argentina forward also talked about the upcoming round of 16 clash against Australia, which will decide their fate for the quarter-finals.
“We know that now everything will be very difficult. That whoever the opponent, it will be complicated. We have seen recently, at our own expense, that any opponent can play a good game and win,” he said.
Messi is trying to add a World Cup title to his glorious career in what might be his last appearance at the football extravaganza.
