Dallas: Defending champions Argentina registered a 2-0 win over Austria in a Group J league match of the FIFA World Cup, with Lionel Messi delivering a decisive double.
The contest began at a high tempo, with both sides battling intensely. Argentina earned an early penalty in the 9th minute, but captain Messi failed to convert, leaving the crowd stunned.
Messi made amends in the 38th minute, finishing a pass from Medina to beat the Austrian goalkeeper. The strike took his World Cup tally to 17 goals, moving him past Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16) to set a new all-time record.
In stoppage time of the second half (90+5), Messi surged forward and rounded four Austrian defenders before scoring again to seal the result. With two straight wins, Argentina moved to six points and advanced to the Round of 16.
