Argentina top Group C after defeating Poland, who also qualified for the round of 16.
Argentina finished top of Group C with a 2-0 win over Poland, who also qualified for the 2022 World Cup Round of 16.
La Albiceleste suffered a surprise defeat to Saudi Arabia, but have now beaten Mexico and Poland in Group C to reach the round of 16 of the tournament as group winners.
Alexis McAllister and Julian Alvarez scored for Argentina, who face Group D runners-up Australia in the next round.
Lionel Messi missed a first-half penalty for Lionel Scaloni’s men, but the South Americans scored two unanswered goals in the second half to secure top spot in the group.
Meanwhile, after defeating Mexico, Poland advanced to the next round, and on Sunday Czesław Michniewicz’s team will face France.
Poland and Mexico were separated on disciplinary points before Saudi Arabia found the net against Mexico in the second half in a 2–1 defeat.
Nicolás Otamendi had a first-half chance for Argentina to the far post, but his header always missed the target.
Messi first saw Poland’s goal in the seventh minute when he created space outside the penalty area, but the Paris Saint-Germain striker passed Wojciech Szczęsny.
The Polish goalkeeper again had to deny Messi in the 10th minute, as the Argentine captain started the match well before Marcos Acuña scored over the Polish crossbar seven minutes later.
Acuña made a lot of saves from the left, and the defender finished the ball wide after Messi’s superior movement.
Acuña tried his luck again in the 29th minute with a hard shot against the post, and three minutes later Szczęsni headed in Angelo Di Maria’s corner kick over the crossbar.
Enzo Fernández flicked the ball over the crossbar in the 10th minute of the first half, and the Polish goalkeeper made another clever save to keep Álvarez’s clean shot.
This was followed by a VAR analysis of Szczęsny’s clash with Messi as the stopwatch helped PSG as both players attempted to make contact on the crossbar and the referee decided to show the point after a long glance. on the monitor
Messi took the lead, but the Juventus goalkeeper made a great save, shooting from the right side and taking the ball hard.
Di María had to link up with Messi’s low cross under pressure before Szczęsny saved Álvarez and then Di María as Poland struggled to clear their own half.
Early in the second half, Argentina finally got their breakthrough when McAllister cleverly saved a Nahuel Molina cross into the bottom corner.
Poland had a chance to equalize in the 49th minute when Kamil Glick climbed to the top of the Argentine penalty area and sent a deep ball, but the cross went wide of the post.
McAllister cleverly saved the Polish goalkeeper just after Messi’s excellent work released the Brighton and Hove Albion striker.
Álvarez doubled Argentina’s lead in the 68th minute when the Manchester City striker found space in the box and curled the ball into the top corner.
Szczęsny did well to knock Messi off after 20 minutes, and three minutes later Álvarez hit the side of the net after Messi released.
In the 85th minute, Lautaro Martínez had a great opportunity to score 3-0 for Argentina when he burst into the goal of the Polish national team, but the Inter striker missed the goal.
Nicolás Tagliafico then scored in the final moments with Jakub Kiwior being the savior for Poland, who had fewer yellow cards than Mexico in the group stage and seemed like the difference until Saudi Arabia scored. Mexico’s goal difference came late.
Lineups:
Poland Replacements: Jedrzejczyk, Wieteska, Bednarek, Milik, D. Szymanski, Grosicki, Skorupski, Kaminski, Zurkowski, S. Szymanski, Zalewski, Grabara, Piatek, Gumny, Skoras
Argentina Replacements: Armani, Foyth, Tagliafico, Montiel, Paredes, Pezzella, Rulli, Palacios, Correa, Almada, Gomez, Rodriguez, Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Lisandro Martinez
Scorers:
46′ Alexis Mac Allister
67′ Julian Alvarez
Yellow Cards:
Grzegorz Krychowiak
Marcos Acuna
