Argentina 2-0 Mexico: Messi and Fernández inspire vital Argentina win
Argentina got their World Cup campaign back on track after wonder strikes from Lionel Messi and Enzo Martinez inspired them to a 2-0 victory over Mexico in Pool C on Saturday.
A turgid first half saw little created by either side, plenty remining on the line going into the break.
But Messi’s left foot strike nudged Argentina ahead in the 64th minute, Martinez’s late top-corner finish rekindled their knockout stage hopes.
Like many other games in this second round of group stage games, this meeting was brimming with potential narratives.
This game was a must-win for Messi and company. There was no margin for error; a loss and their World Cup would be over. A draw and their chances of progression would likely be out of their control.
Lionel Scaloni chose to shake up his side from their shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia. Lisandro Martinez was preferred to Cristian Romero to sure up the central defence alongside Nicolas Otamendi.
Mexico, meanwhile, were looking to maintain their record of advancing from the pool stage at every World Cup since 1994, a draw with Poland damaging their chances.
And yet, not for the first time at this World Cup, the game was largely a thorough disappointment.
The first half was a strange combination of intense attacking intent and a total lack of opportunities.
The opening 20 minutes saw a tussle between the two sides, and while Argentina dominated most of possession, there were no clear chances for the pre-match favourites.
Rodrigo De Paul attempted to play the enforcer role, but beyond looking intimidating his effect on the game was minimal.
The same was true for Mexico. Alexis Vega was once again busy in the wide areas, but the rest of his side was devoid of creativity.
An unlikely header from Lionel Messi in the 28th minute was Argentina’s only real chance of the half. Predictably, given it was a Messi header, nothing came of it as the ball sailed safely over the bar.
And Lionel Messi was once again Argentina’s only provider. A free kick from a tight angle on the right-hand side was their only other effort at goal, held easily by ‘keeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Clad in his red and blue kit reminiscent of the prime Spain strip of the 2010’s, it was Ochoa who kept Mexico in the game as he parried Las Albicelestes attempts.
A 44th minute curling free kick effort from Vega was Mexico’s only real threat to Argentina’s goal but was held well by Emi Martinez.
The second half looked set to play host to much the same dreary play as the first.
Even Messi seemed uninterested. As he whacked a lacklustre free kick over the bar in the 51st minute, it seemed like even he just did not care.
Turns out I know nothing about football. Just 10 minutes later I was proved very wrong.
Out of nowhere from 30 yards out a sublime low strike in the 64th minute from Messi nestled neatly into the bottom right corner, somehow evading the dive of Ochoa to find its way into the net.
And it was quite the celebration from the main man, his 10th involvement in Argentina’s last 15 goals at the World Cup.
Enzo Fernandez got in on the action in the deep in the 88th minute. A step over was followed by a curving right-footed strike into Mexico’s top right corner sealed the result for Argentina, becoming the youngest Argentinean to score at the World Cup since Messi himself in 2006.
Mexico preserved towards the end of the game, peppering the Argentina box, but to no avail as their hopes of advancement hang by a thread.
