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Argentina beat Poland; as both enter last 16

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Julian Alvarez of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal
Julian Alvarez of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal

Lionel Messi missed a penalty, but Argentina still clinched top spot in Group ‘C’ with a 2-0 win over Poland, who squeezed into the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup on goal difference ahead of Mexico on a night of high drama at the Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar yesterday.

Argentina went into the game a point behind Poland knowing a second-placed finish would put them against France in the last 16, but goals from Alexis Mac Allister (46) and Julian Alvarez (67) after Wojciech Szczesny had saved a contentious Messi penalty secured a deserved win.

For Poland, qualification was hanging in the balance right until the end, Czeslaw Michniewicz’s side sensationally set to advance on fair play points before Saudi Arabia’s stoppage-time goal in their 2-1 loss to Mexico put the Poles through on goal difference.

Poland played out the final stages of their game knowing another goal for either Argentina or Mexico would knock them out of the competition and needed a goal-line clearance from Jakub Kiwior in stoppage time to keep the deficit at only two. With Mexico ultimately only winning by a single goal, however, and despite a poor Poland performance in which Robert Lewandowski did not even register a shot, the Poles did just enough to set up a meeting with reigning champions France on Sunday in what will be their first World Cup knock-out game since 1986.

Argentina totally dominated the game from the outset, with Messi, clearly determined to build on his match-winning display against Mexico following the shock loss to Saudi Arabia, forcing a smart save from Szczesny with a powerful early effort.

The 35-year-old was Argentina’s main creative outlet too, popping up in midfield areas and repeatedly picking out teammates in dangerous positions, only for the finish to be lacking.

Alvarez, selected up front in place of Lautaro Martinez, spurned a fine opportunity from a Molina cut-back, his low effort blocked by a Poland defender when he should have scored, with Marcos Acuna then firing narrowly wide from the follow up.

(C.D)

Friday, December 2, 2022 – 01:00











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