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FIFA World Cup 2022, Round of 16: Lionel Messi stars for Argentina, helps team seal quarter-final berth (Image Source: Twitter)
The FIFA World Cup 2022 is witnessing the Round of 16 stage and the hosts Qatar, crashed out of the multinational tournament in the group stage, much to the dreariness of their fans. It was all about Argentina and Australia as the two teams competed against each other in the Round of 16 stage.
Concerning the first half, Lionel Messi, the superstar from La Albiceleste, scored the first goal for the team and when it mattered in the 35th minute. It was a moment to cherish for him as he shifted the momentum towards his team and put the Socceroos on the back foot.
Argentina, post losing to Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the group stage, managed to bounce back and eventually, have made it to the knockout stage through sheer hard work. While one has to agree that it has been the same case with Australia, the love for Argentina still remains a bit higher. It was all about Argentina in the first 45 minutes as the scoreline remained 1-0 in their favour at the stroke of the first-half whistle.
Argentina emerge dominant in FIFA World Cup 2022
The second half kicked off with the match well under Argentina’s control, who started dominating the game right from the stroke of the whistle. Australians were struggling to get things sorted, given that they were just one goal away from making a comeback in the game.However, at the 60-minute mark, the Socceroos still remained goalless and never looked like creating an opportunity either, given that the Australians are known for their grit to make a comeback and give a tough fight until the last minute.
Eventually, Messi's teammate, Julián Álvarez doubled the lead in the 57th minute and put Argentina in a strong position in the high-octane match. Enzo Fernández, Argentina;s star player, scored an own goal and stunned the crowd in the 77th minute when many predicted an easy win for La Albiceleste as the player's big error cost Argentina a goal to the Socceroos. Eventually, it was Argentina who won the match with a scoreline of 2-1 and made it to the quarter-finals.