Messi’s Double Secures Argentina’s Victory Over Austria at the 2026 World Cup

Argentina’s Journey at the 2026 World Cup

According to Главком: Defending their title at the 2026 World Cup in North America, Argentina claimed a 2-0 win over Austria in their second Group J match. Lionel Messi was the standout performer, netting both goals in the 38th and 90+5 minutes. However, he missed an early penalty in the 8th minute, awarded after a VAR review for a foul on Lautaro Martínez.

Match Highlights

Argentina started aggressively but failed to capitalize on the early penalty, with Messi’s shot missing the right post. In the 19th minute, David Alaba stopped Messi’s dangerous run, and by the 32nd minute, another Argentine attack was thwarted by a deflection. The breakthrough came in the 39th minute when Facundo Medina crossed from the left, and Thiago Almada let the ball pass, allowing Messi to score. In the second half, Austria nearly equalized in the 55th minute, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez saved Marcel Sabitzer’s free kick. Argentina responded with a chance from Nicolás González, who missed the far corner after a corner kick from Messi.

Yellow cards were issued to:

• Stefan Posch
• Konrad Laimer
• Facundo Medina
• Leandro Paredes

With this win, Messi scored his fifth goal of the tournament, reinforcing his pivotal role in the team’s success.

This victory strengthens Argentina’s position as tournament favorites, boosting their chances of advancing from the group stage. The team’s consistency and attacking prowess, led by Messi, continue to make them a formidable force on the global stage.

As Argentina continues to showcase their dominance in the tournament, fans are reminded of Messi's earlier return from injury, which played a crucial role in their recent success. To explore how his comeback impacted the team's performance against Iceland, you can read more about it here.