Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Argentina against Australia on Saturday in what was his first career World Cup knockout goal.

 

Messi made 1,000th career appearanceScored first WC knockout goalPut team ahead vs Australia

WHAT HAPPENED? Messi latched onto Nicolas Otamendi’s set up following a pass in the box from Alexis Mac Allister, before steering the ball past Mathew Ryan and into the far corner to give Argentina an early lead in Al Rayyan. Despite a late goal from the Socceroos, Australia held on to win by an eventual 2-1 scoreline.

LIONEL MESSI SCORES IN HIS 1000TH GAME ?

That’s 789 goals for the Argentina forward as he scores his first #FIFAWorldCup knockout strike ?#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/pioPUpZnhI

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022

MESSI MAGIC ✨??

That’s the first knockout stage goal in Messi’s FIFA World Cup career pic.twitter.com/wyzfdVfby3

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 3, 2022

THE BIGGER PICTURE: In the 1,000th game of his career, the boy from Rosario notched his first-ever goal in the knockout stages of a World Cup. Messi’s strike against Australia was his third of the tournament in Qatar, which put his side ahead after a valiant start from the Socceroos.

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI? The 35-year-old’s strike helped see Argentina through to the quarter-finals, where they will play the Netherlands after their 3-1 victory over the USMNT earlier on Saturday.

 

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