Argentina trounced Poland 2-0 in their last Group C stage match to qualify for the FIFA World Cup round of 16 at Stadium 974 in Doha on Wednesday. The team has qualified for the round for the fifth straight time. The South American giants will now face Australia in the knockout stage on Saturday.
Argentina players Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez scored in the second half of the game, while Lionel Messi missed a penalty in the first half.
Argentina topped the table with six points, while Poland waited for the result of the other Group C game between Saudi Arabia and Mexico to qualify for the round despite the loss. As Mexico beat Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the match, Poland also advanced from Group C for having a better goal difference than Mexico. Poland will meet defending champions France in the last 16 on Sunday.
The Wednesday match between Argentina and Poland also saw Messi setting another record as he became Argentina’s most-capped player in the World Cup with 22 appearances, surpassing Diego Maradona, who made 21 appearances for the South American giants. While the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner skipped the chance to increase his tally of World Cup goals after missing the penalty spot, he is still in the run for the 2022 edition’s Golden Boot.
