Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dan Kilpatrick

Lionel Messi’s magic gives Argentina World Cup hope but fragility remains in victory over Australia

Lionel Messi helped Argentina through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup

(Picture: PA)

A sublime Lionel Messi goal helped Argentina set up a World Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands with a 2-1 win over Australia but they came close to suffering another meltdown after Craig Goodwin’s ridiculous consolation for the Socceroos.

Messi’s superb strike ten minutes before half-time and a poacher’s goal from Julian Alvarez following a Mat Ryan blunder were enough in the end for Argentina, and a reminder of why the pair make such a dangerous partnership.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.