Argentina Advances
Argentina Secures Perfect World Cup Qualification, Messi Scores Sixth Goal in Victory
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Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 on June 27 to finish the group stage with a perfect 9 points, sweeping all three matches without a single loss La Opinión de Murcia. Lionel Messi, 39, came off the bench in the 60th minute and scored a low-curling free kick in the 80th minute — his 6th goal of the tournament and 19th of his World Cup career.
The defending champions dominated the match at Dallas Stadium with 73% possession and 13 shots on goal El Periódico. Argentina next faces Cape Verde on July 3 in Miami in the Round of 32.
Messi Scores in Seven Straight World Cup Matches
Messi entered the pitch as a substitute for Lautaro Martínez in the 60th minute. Just 20 minutes later, he curled a free kick into the net to seal the win Diario de Mallorca. It was his 6th goal in this tournament alone. Analysts note he is now the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing records held by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho.
Messi spoke simply after the match. "I don't play thinking about my age," he said. "I play based on how I feel physically, and I feel good" Diario Córdoba. He currently leads the Golden Boot race with 6 goals — two ahead of rivals like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Argentina Rotated Nine Players But Never Looked Shaky
Coach Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to his starting lineup for the Jordan match. He said before the game: "Leo will be a substitute... to play later. The decision of who starts is not in relation to the opponent" La Provincia. Despite the changes, Argentina controlled the game from the start.
Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a left-footed free kick into the top corner — his first career World Cup goal Información. Lautaro Martínez then added a penalty in the 31st minute after VAR confirmed a foul. Jordan pulled one back in the 55th minute through Mousa Al-Tamari, but Messi had the last word.
Cape Verde: Smallest Nation Ever to Reach the Knockout Stage
Argentina's next opponent is no ordinary underdog. Cape Verde, a nation of just 525,000 people, made history by reaching the Round of 32 El Correo Web. They did it without winning a single group game — three draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia were enough to advance. Media have called it the "fairytale of the tournament."
Cape Verde's coach Bubista said: "We have shown that we are a small country, but that we fight for the things that we want to achieve" La Opinión de Málaga. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha added a touch of irony. "I hope one day to play against Messi," he said. That day is now July 3.
Miami Match Sets Up a Near Home Game for Argentina
The Round of 32 clash will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami — the city where Messi plays club football for Inter Miami CF Diario de Ibiza. Analysts expect the crowd to strongly favor Argentina, giving the Albiceleste what amounts to a home-game atmosphere for a knockout match.
Argentina has not lost a World Cup match in 1,313 days El Periódico Mediterráneo. They scored 8 goals and conceded just 1 in the group stage. With Messi in form and a friendly crowd expected in Miami, the odds are heavily stacked against Cape Verde — but so they were against Spain and Uruguay.
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