- Lionel Messi scored on his 1,000th professional game as Argentina beat Australia 2-1to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.
- Argentina will now face the Netherlands in the last eight.
- Australia went out in the round of 16 for only the second time in World Cup history.
In his 1,000th professional game, Lionel Messi scored the game-winning goal that sent Argentina over a tough Australia team and into the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
The 35-year-old scored the game-winning goal for Argentina in the 35th minute on Saturday, giving him three goals in this year’s tournament and nine in his World Cup career.
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This gives him one more World Cup goal than the late, great Diego Maradona of Argentina.
Julian Alvarez scored the game-winning goal for Argentina after he capitalised on a mistake by Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and tapped the ball into an empty net. Argentina will now face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
Craig Goodwin’s shot was deflected into the goal by Argentina’s midfielder Enzo Fernandez, giving Australia a consolation goal in the 77th minute.
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Unheralded Australian squad went out in the round of 16 for only the second time in World Cup history, but they had already exceeded expectations by making it this far.
In 2006, Australia was eliminated by eventual winners Italy in the round of 16.
