Lionel Messi added another milestone to his remarkable World Cup career after becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive tournament matches, helping defending champion Argentina secure a 3-1 victory over Jordan and complete a flawless Group J campaign.
The 39 year old captain came off the bench in the second half before curling home a low free kick in the 80th minute, extending his tournament tally to six goals and moving two clear in the race for the Golden Boot.
Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez also scored for Argentina, which finished the group stage with three wins from three matches and now advances to the Round of 32, where it will face Cape Verde on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Argentina entered the match with first place in Group J already secured, prompting coach Lionel Scaloni to rotate his squad heavily. Nine changes were made to the starting lineup, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and striker Lautaro Martinez the only players retained from the previous match. Messi began the contest on the bench before entering shortly after the hour mark.
Despite the changes, Argentina quickly established control.
Lo Celso thought he had opened the scoring within minutes, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. The midfielder eventually broke the deadlock in the 19th minute after winning a free kick just outside the penalty area and curling an excellent effort beyond the Jordan goalkeeper. It marked the first goal by an Argentina player other than Messi at this year’s tournament.
Argentina doubled its advantage in the 31st minute after a Video Assistant Referee review awarded a penalty. Lautaro Martinez converted from the spot after his earlier effort struck the crossbar during the same attacking sequence.
The South American side nearly added a third early in the second half when Lo Celso found the net again, but the goal was disallowed because Lautaro Martinez had been offside in the buildup.
Jordan responded in the 55th minute when Mousa Altamari, introduced at halftime, finished from close range following an inviting low cross to reduce the deficit.
Messi entered the match moments later as part of a triple substitution. His first free kick sailed over the crossbar, but another opportunity arrived after he was fouled just outside the penalty area. This time, the Argentine captain drove a low effort through a gap in the defensive wall to restore his team’s two goal advantage.
The goal cemented another place in football history for Messi, who became the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. It also increased his career World Cup total to 19 goals while strengthening his lead in the competition’s Golden Boot race.
The victory also highlighted Argentina’s depth beyond its celebrated captain.
Lo Celso delivered an impressive performance in his first World Cup start, while Lautaro Martinez continued his strong tournament with another goal. Several players, including Nicolas Paz, Marco Senesi and Giuliano Simeone, were handed expanded roles as Scaloni rested key starters ahead of the knockout rounds.
Speaking after the match, Lo Celso expressed his delight at finally making a significant contribution on the World Cup stage.
“I waited a lot for this moment. I dreamed about it many times, and what I experienced today was even better than I imagined,” he said.
Scaloni praised the players who stepped into the starting lineup, saying the squad’s depth had always been one of Argentina’s objectives.
“I was able to give opportunities to all the players, and that has always been one of our goals,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “They played very well in a difficult match and showed we can count on every member of this squad.”
Jordan exited the tournament without a victory but managed to score in each of its three matches during its first appearance at a World Cup.
Coach Jamal Sellami said the experience would benefit his players despite the disappointing results.
“As a first participant in the World Cup, the most important thing is that our players experienced this level of competition firsthand,” Sellami said through an interpreter. “They now understand what is required to compete in tournaments like this.”
Argentina’s latest victory marked its fifth perfect group stage performance at a World Cup and its first since consecutive tournaments in 2010 and 2014. The defending champions have now won seven and drawn two of their last nine World Cup matches while reinforcing their status as one of the favorites to retain the title.
Only France and Mexico also collected the maximum nine points during the group stage of the expanded 48 team tournament.
The upcoming meeting with Cape Verde presents a historic opportunity for the African nation, which has reached the knockout stage for the first time. Argentina, meanwhile, will seek to maintain its momentum as Messi continues his pursuit of another individual milestone with the Golden Boot remaining one of the few major honors missing from his remarkable career.
While Messi’s record extending goal dominated the headlines, Argentina’s comfortable victory also demonstrated the strength of its supporting cast. With key players rested and several squad members making meaningful contributions, Scaloni now heads into the knockout rounds with fresh legs and growing confidence that his team possesses the depth needed for another championship run.
Story sources: The Athletic, The Independent and The Associated Press