The match started with high drama for the captain. In the 8th minute, Argentina was awarded a penalty after a VAR review. Surprisingly, Messi missed the spot-kick, keeping the score level and shocking the fans in the stadium.
He did not let the mistake affect his game for long. In the 38th minute, Messi found the back of the net with a brilliant strike. This was a piece of history as Messi overtook Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.
Austria played a very tough, physical match. They used an aggressive pressing system to disrupt Argentina’s midfield. However, the Austrian attack could not break through a solid Argentine defense, which secured its second clean sheet of the tournament.
As the match entered its final seconds, Austria pushed all their players forward in a desperate search for an equalizer. This left their defense wide open, and Messi took full advantage. Deep into stoppage time, in the 95th minute, Messi scored his second goal of the match. He confidently guided the ball into the net to seal the 2-0 win.
With this second goal, Messi put the game entirely out of reach and safely put Argentina at the top of their group and helped them qualify for the Round of 32 of the tournament.