Hanging from Messi, Argentina is already aiming for the quarterfinals after an ulcerative match at the start. Until Messi, bored, put the Albiceleste at his feet to comfort Argentina and those who begged for a little crumb soccer. He nailed the 1-0 out of nowhere, changed the face of the game and broke an Australia that almost improvised overtime on the last play.
Australia, a day laborer team with recruits from the Columbus Crew, Melbourne or Fagiano Okayama, put a tusk and nothing else, because nothing else has. And it is already a lot to have gone through the eighths for the second time in its history. A team that sweated like a shower to reach Qatar after a tie with the Emirates and another harrowing one with Peru. In Qatar, Messi through, the heroism of weakness had no further journey.
Opposite, Argentina. A shot in the air The one that vanished against Arabia, the one that had a pulse with Mexico or the one that gave the stretch against Poland? In Rayán, a showy Argentina, without spark, without volume. Messi and nothing. Without Di María, injured, relieved by Papu Gómez, there was no way for any comrade to rhyme with the captain. Before the dike of the socceroos, until Messi said enough, total Argentine blackout. Denied by the wings, she stiffened by the funnel and without bite to rescue the ball. Outside, the deficient Molina and the inconsequential Acuña did not ventilate. Álvarez and Papu, also planted on the banks, are not flying wingers.
In passing, Argentina messed around with the ball at all. In Australia, all the boys are twinned and well packed together. All players with worn soles. Until Behich, the Australian left-back, pissed off Messi, the only shock was a shot from Papu to some province of Mars.
In the middle of the torpor, Behich had a noise with the Rosario. Bad business, genius should not be disturbed. Instantly, Behich, still in the ring, ran over Papu. The foul led to Mac Allister, who leaked the ball. Otamendi wanted to interfere, but Messi, with the anger above him, was not for bagpipes. He anticipated his teammate and parked the ball in a corner of Ryan’s goal. One of Messi’s lifetime goals, seen a thousand times and nonetheless surprising his skill with his left foot to square the ball with another’s goal. Until Messi connected with Messi, the clash seemed like a jug if it weren’t for the fact that a World Cup is a World Cup, despite everything.
Messi gave the time for Argentina and Australia remained in the bones. He couldn’t even splash around Dibu Martinez until the very end. Messi had put the light on green. La Albiceleste already had another choreography. The captain had scared away the ghosts, all of them more liberated.
Lionel Scaloni touched up the board as soon as the second act began. Lisandro, a center back, cut the string to Papu, a winger with forceps until then. Argentina, with three plants. Too much shield for an Australia on an offensive diet at the time. In short, cautious and suspicious that Scaloni is. The truth is that just wanting to shield himself just in case, Julián Álvarez, he was a rascal, made it 2-0. Ryan, the opposing goalkeeper, was his sidekick. The man, smothered by De Paul, curled up with the ball. And Álvarez, a youngster who is intimate with the goal, gave a little pass to the net.
Everything seemed liquidated for Argentina. And even Messi ventured into one of those stampedes so maradonaso messianic. He put gear and in his wake the defenseless Australians hunted flies. Or not that. But since he is already missing a point of gas, Messi could not close another goal for the football treasure in his thousand game.
As the game has its unforeseen events, with Argentina in flight to the quarterfinals, Goodwin, a subordinate recently arrived from the bench, gave up a kick. The ball bounced off Enzo Fernández and left Dibu Martínez out in the open. Suddenly, because yes, because that’s how this mysterious game is, Australia was one step away from where I had not dreamed. Argentina, on red alert. A spasmodic play and another game. Such was the Australian spirit that Behich, the one who had angered Messi before the 1-0 draw, followed the trail of Rosario’s genius. He was bizarre, he did not hesitate to want to emulate the ten and he did not score a goal from the best Messi because Lisandro crossed the limit. Several of his colleagues had fainted earlier.
Far from enchironar, Argentina once again entrusted Messi to shake off any demon. Leo charged with the team and cited Lautaro several times with the relieving goal. So did Leo… Nothing. And Martínez, the goalkeeper, avoided extra time when Kuol put all of Messi’s Argentina on edge.
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