Argentina beats Jordan in unimportant match, Messi breaks record with another goal

Captain Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his trademark free-kick to give defending champions Argentina a 3-1 win over Jordan in a lowly Group J match on Sunday, making the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches.

Coach Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to the starting XI that had lost 2-0 to Austria. As a result, Messi, who had been on the bench for the opening match, scored a low free kick in the 80th minute, taking his tally to six goals in three matches at the tournament. He has now scored 19 World Cup goals in six tournaments since his World Cup debut in 2006 and remains a leading contender for the Golden Boot this year.

Argentina answered questions about their team’s over-reliance on their captain for goals before Messi even entered the field. Giovanni Lo Celso broke the deadlock with a left-footed free-kick from just outside the penalty area in the 19th minute. Lautaro Martinez then doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 30th minute.

The two goals were the first by any Argentine player other than Messi in the tournament, having previously scored all five goals in the defending champions’ first two matches, including a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria.

As Messi prepared to enter the field, Jordan became the first team to score against Argentina in the tournament; Moussa Al-Tamari equalized in the 55th minute. Messi and Thiago Almada were then introduced in the 59th minute, and Alexis McAllister a minute later, replacing Lo Celso, Lautaro and Nico Paz respectively.

It took Messi just over 20 minutes to pull Argentina back from a two-goal deficit, giving Argentina a 3-1 victory and adding another record-breaking match for the Albiceleste captain.

Argentina have secured top spot in Group ‘J’ with full points. In the last 32, they will face first-time World Cup visitors Cape Verde, who advanced to the next round after finishing runners-up behind Spain in Group ‘H’.