Lionel Messi produced a moment of trademark magic to help keep Argentina’s World Cup hopes alive with a tense victory over Mexico.
Amidst the tumult at the Lucille Stadium, Messi and Argentina knew defeat would end their hopes of reaching the last 16, just two games after their stunning opening defeat to Saudi Arabia.
Tensions were mounting as Mexico frustrated Messi in an attrition game, particularly in a first half that never allowed Argentina to gain momentum.
Messi changed all that after 64 minutes when he took a touch to control a pass with his left foot before slotting past Mexico keeper Guillermo Ochoa into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
A crowd of 88,966 Argentina supporters went wild in celebration and relief as their World Cup campaign got back on track.
Enzo Fernandez added a superb second three minutes from time with a curling shot into the top corner but it was Messi who made the breakthrough and difference.
Victory against Poland in a tight Group C final would send them through to the knockout stages.
Messi did magic once again.
Messi cut a dismal figure for the first 45 minutes here, pushed to the margins as this crucial game descended into a small affair marred by fouls, with little quality on show.
It was during the lulls, stops and starts of a football match that Messi was able to exert his influence, wandering far and wide across the vast expanse of the Lucille Stadium before finally making the decisive contribution.
In an ear-splitting atmosphere, Messi turned up the volume even further with the breakthrough goal that finally resurrected Argentina’s World Cup triumph over Mexico.
Messi made two perfect touches with that left-footed stick, one to control and the other to arrow past Ochoa’s outstretched left hand.
It was what all of Argentina had hoped and demanded from their great talisman and, as so often before for club and country, the 35-year-old produced when they needed him most.
This very remarkable party faced real danger. Argentina knew that defeat would finish them off here in Qatar. Messi knew that defeat would end his dream of winning the World Cup, a major honor missing from his impressive and extensive list of honours.
He follows another superstar Kylian Mbappe, whose brace against Denmark sent France into the last 16, and showed here that he is determined not to be outdone by the other members of his elite group.
Mexico, backed by a large number of their own fans, were in no mood to back down and it took a big moment for them to open up, bowing to Messi as so many others have done before.
There is still work to be done for Argentina when they face Group C leaders Poland, who boast their own sporting icon in striker Robert Lewandowski, but the celebrations at the final whistle gave the impression that a team Warmly signaled to win the World Cup. The same Lucille Stadium believes their show is now on the road thanks to their captain and resident genius.
