By: Carlos Salinas, Special Representative
Argentina brought the group stage to a terrific conclusion after beating Poland 2-0 and thus secured qualification for the round of 16 World Championship as the leader of Group C.
The led by Lionel ScaloniIn second place before the clash, needing a win to avoid relying on Mexico’s clash with Saudi Arabia, they went to the ‘Greens’ with the intention of subjugating their rivals.
Unlike the days before, the Albiceleste improved not only in their defensive performance, but also in the collective game, which manifested itself in goal situations against the Polish fence.
The Copa America winner had his first real chance after 38 minutes after the referee awarded Argentina a penalty after Szczesny fouled Lionel Messi.
But the goalkeeper of the “White Eagles” showed all his quality under the three sticks after stopping the dangerous definition of the “flea” from twelve steps.
With the intensity that the ‘Albiceleste’ embodied on the field, it was only a matter of time for the South American team to find the long-awaited goal that would bring peace of mind.
A wall. Szczesny shone after the “Floh” penalty. Photo: AFP
A minute into the second half, Nahuel Molina sent a low cross down the right flank to Alexis Mac Allister, who fired the shot at the far post and unleashed the frenzy of all Argentina.
The joy of the “Gaucho” team didn’t end there, as Julián Álvarez seemed to seal the pass of the “Albiceleste” with 67 minutes to the next instance of the world’s most celebrated tournament of the “king game”. messi and company must turn the page as they collide with Australia on Saturday.
On the other hand, Poland could celebrate in the midst of defeat because they also qualified for the round of 16. However, the “white eagles” have to compete with nothing less than France on Sunday.
Did you know…
To forget. Messi is the second player to miss two penalties (not counting tiebreaks) in the entire history of the World Cup (one in Russia 2018 and one in Qatar 2022).
Infographic – The Republic