ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Giovani Lo Celso becomes the first Argentine player to do so. Other than Lionel Messi Score with this world cup The defending champions defeated Jordan 3-1 on Saturday night and finished the group stage with a three-game winning streak.
Lo Celso made his first World Cup start and scored a direct free kick in the 19th minute to give Argentina the lead and seal their stay. Messi added a goal of his own shortly after the start of the second half, and the highest scorer in World Cup history extended his record to 19 goals.
“I’m very happy that he’s having this moment,” Lo Celso said of his captain.
Messi, who leads the tournament with six goals, was one of Argentina’s nine starters changed from the previous game as Group J had already been decided before the game. He came on from 60 minutes.Three days after his 39th birthday, at the same stadium where he was. Broke the scoring mark on Mondayscored in the 80th minute.
He scored all five of Argentina’s goals in the wins over Algeria and Austria, including his first World Cup hat-trick and his record-setting double in Monday’s match. He has now scored in seven consecutive World Cup games, tying him with France’s Juste Fontaine and Brazil’s great Jairzinho for the longest streak in history.
Lautaro Martinez converted a penalty in the 31st minute, his shot from close range bouncing off the crossbar and giving Argentina a 2-0 lead.
Martinez and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who came on as a substitute for Messi, were the only players to start all three of Argentina’s group matches.
“We were able to have all our players play, which was the goal we have always set for ourselves,” coach Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter. “I think they played very well in a difficult game. Today they showed us that we can trust them.”
Argentina, who have seven wins and two draws in their past nine World Cup matches, will advance to the Round of 32 on the 11th. Friday’s match against Cape Verdethe smallest country to qualify for the final tournament. The game will be played in Miami, the home of Messi’s Major League Soccer team.
This is the fifth time Argentina have won all of their group stage matches, and the first since back-to-back games in 2010 and 2014. Argentina has 14 wins, two losses, and three draws in their last 19 group stage games.
France and Mexico were the only other teams to earn the maximum nine points in the group stage of the expanded 48-team World Cup.
Jordan, ranked 72nd in the world, lost 8-3 in his first international tournament appearance.
“As first-time participants in the World Cup, I believe that the most important thing we can gain in terms of lessons is for our players to experience first-hand what the training entails,” coach Jamal Selami said through an interpreter. “Now they are better aware of the requirements of such competition.”
Jordan’s Moussa Altamari, who started the second half, scored a goal in the 55th minute.
Lo Celso and Martinez both scored their first World Cup goals for Argentina.
“I had no doubts about them,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “Lautaro is doing a great job. We are very happy since he joined our team. If you score goals, it’s even better for the team. We are very happy for them.”
Just minutes after Lo Celso kicked the ball on goal but it was ruled offside and the goal did not result, he was tripped by Mohanad Abutaha just outside the penalty area, winning a free kick and receiving a yellow card.
It was the first time that Argentina’s goal was a direct free kick in a World Cup since Messi scored against Nigeria in 2014.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, I’ve dreamed about it many times, but I think what I saw today was far beyond anything I could have imagined or dreamed of,” Lo Celso said.
After Martinez’s shot hit the crossbar, Julian Álvarez’s header was deflected into the net by keeper Yazeed Abulaira. However, a VAR replay revealed that the play resulted in Alvarez kicking him in the face, resulting in a penalty.
Nicolas Paz made his World Cup debut as a late substitute for Messi. 3-0 victory over Algeria It was the opening game, and this time he made his first start on the spot. In addition to Paz and Lo Celso, forwards Marcos Senesi and Giuliano Simeone made their first World Cup starts.
___
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
