World Cup: Messi, Argentina suffer reality check again on biggest stage
LUSAIL, Qatar—The stars seem to be backing Lionel Messi as he arrives at the Qatar World Cup as the talisman for the simply undefeated Argentina team since 2019.
When the nimble 35-year-old scored a 10th-minute home goal in the team’s opening Group C match against Saudi Arabia, it seemed to all the pre-tournament chatter that this was the moment of the season. him and Argentina are perfectly reasonable.
What happened next suggests that the seven-timer won the Ballon d’Or for the fifth time and world finals It could all end in the familiar crushing disappointment.
Saudi Arabia, FIFA’s 51st team and having suffered 5-0 and 8-0 defeats at the World Cup for years, roared to demand a The incredible 2-1 win would go on to be one of the biggest shocks in any sport ever.
While their blue-clad fans celebrated wildly, hundreds of Argentina’s traveling armies sat staring into space, trying to figure out what had happened.
They can point to three disallowed goals, one by Messi and two by Lauturo Martinez, as a result of bad luck.
But when the shock subsides, they will be furious that a team of familiar names and those with just one game left to equal Italy’s 37-match unbeaten streak in international football have to. suffered another loss in the World Cup.
And a self-inflicted match against a team made up entirely of players from Saudi Arabia’s domestic league.
Messi started as a man on duty, forced to make an early save and then successfully completed the penalty to score his national team’s 92nd goal.
But even the magician was at fault for taking his eyes off the ball as Argentina languished under the onslaught of Saudi Arabia after halftime.
Having a goal disallowed for offside could be considered regrettable. Lionel Scaloni’s team committed three careless fouls who should have gone home and taken a break.
Saudi Arabia’s offside trap is confusing, but the quality forwards of Messi, Martinez and Angel Di Maria fouled seven times in the first half – more than once more than they did in the entire 2018 tournament. in Russia.
No one thought it would matter and Argentina would change gear after the break.
But from the start of the second half, they looked worn out, bloated and heavy.
Certainly not like a team that is widely expected to host the World Cup for the third time, and the first since Diego Maradona’s 1986 glory.
When Saleh Al-Shehri was far ahead of Cristian Romero to easily equalize in the 48th minute to help Saudi Arabia level the score, the Argentines should have focused their spirits.
Instead, they looked confused and when the Saudis struck back five minutes later, Salem Al-Dawsari squandered some slim challenge to score the winning goal that Messi himself would. is proud to have in its sleek collection.
Even then, with so much time on the clock, Argentina’s quality should have shined to avoid humiliation.
Scaloni sent on Julian Alvarez, Lisandro Martinez and Enzo Fernadez but all had little effect as Argentina charged in, with Angel Di Maria looking heavy and Messi constantly running into the green fence.
Argentina may still be able to salvage their World Cup as it did in 1990 by reaching the final after being shocked by Cameroon in the opening game, but Scaloni has some serious thoughts ahead of their next game against a dangerous Mexican team.
And with Poland also in the group, they have left themselves very little room to wriggle and Messi’s hope is like a thousand pounds of hair hanging.
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