Overview
- Lionel Messi missed an early penalty but scored twice in Dallas on Monday to give Argentina a 2-0 win over Austria and reach 18 World Cup goals, passing Miroslav Klose.
- The victory secured Argentina’s place in the round of 16 with six points from two games and leaves the team able to manage players in the final group match depending on how Algeria and Jordan finish.
- The match featured heavy, physical pressure from Austria that forced Argentina to be patient before Messi opened the scoring before halftime and added a stoppage-time finish to seal the win.
- The performance prompted broad international praise and produced a viral moment when Messi celebrated with TyC Sports journalist Joaquín Bruno after his second goal.
- Same-day scoring by Kylian Mbappé kept the tournament’s goalscoring race active and the result underlines Messi’s longevity at nearly 39 as he extends multiple World Cup records including appearances and minutes played.