Argentina vs Australia live online: tense finale, stats and updates | Qatar World Cup 2022.
Argentina 🇦🇷 2
Australia 🇦🇺 1
Argentina vs Australia: Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16
90+6
EMI MARTÍNEZ TO THE RESCUE!
WHAT A CHANCE! The ball comes into the Argentina box, Kuol outmuscles his marker and has a clear sight of goal, only to be denied by a crucial stop by Martínez! That's massive!
90+4
With Australia throwing bodies forward, it's chance after chance for Argentina now! Messi and Lautaro again have chances to kill the game off but have their efforts blocked, then saved, the Messi bundles it wide. Madness!
90+2
And seconds later, Messi curls another one a matter of inches wide! That would have been vintage Messi...again.
90+2
GREAT SAVE FROM RYAN!
It's not been Lautaro's night in his short time on the field. Messi again picks Martínez out with a perfect pass, he hits the target this time but Ryan keeps it out.
90+1
"Messi, Messi" is the cry once again as he mesmerises us all with a bit more silkiness on the ball. Australia have it back though.
Seven minutes of added time to be played!
89
It's stating the obvious but Argentina need to be careful here. Big Harry Souttar has gone up front for Australia, they're going to pump balls forward like there's no tomorrow now.
88
WHAT A MISS!
That's a shocker from Lautaro Martínez. Australia lose possession, Messi picks it up, bides his time and tees up Martínez, who has plenty of time to pick his spot but sends it into the crowd behind the goal.
87
They won't get it like that, though. De Paul slides the ball through to Martínez in the box but he drags his first-time effort well wide.
86
Things have settled back down a little bit. Argentina will be happy to have possession and stop Australian from building up a head of steam. A third goal would be nice for them though...
83
Soccer is incredible, isn't it? Australia looked to be dead and buried and one lucky deflection has changed everything. That's why we love it though, isn't it?
80
Argentina subs
Palacios and Montiel have come on for Mac Allister and Molina as Argentina look to settle thigs back down.
80
OH MY GOD!
What a goal that would've been from Behich! He wriggles his way past several Argentina players and finds himself alone in front of goal but a last-ditch challenge from Martínez denies him!
Australia are right back in this!
Argentina 2 vs Australia 1
76
GOOOOOOOOAL for Australia! Goodwin makes it 2-1!
"This 2-0 lead looks anything but dangerous, he said..."
Goodwin's shot from the edge of the box is going miles wide, takes a huge deflection off Fernández and ends up in the corner of the net!
How did that happen?? GAME ON!
74
The substitutes combine to get another shot away! Martínez is clattered just as he pokes the ball through for the onrushing Tagliafico, who drags his shot wide of the target.
64
Wow. Messi is really in the mood now!
Another run from deep cuts through the Australian midfield and, after a couple of ricochets, he almost has another sight of goal, only for the ball to be cleared for a corner (which is cleared).
63
For the second time in the game, there are roars from the Argentinian fans in attendance as Messi puts on another display of impeccable close control. Olé..
Double change for Australia
Goodwin and Hrustic replace McGree and Baccus.
60
Alexis Mac Allister is next to throw himself into a block high up the pitch. Argentina are playing with much more intensity in this second half.
It was a mistake from Mathew Ryan but the pressing from Rodrigo De Paul and Julián Álvarez made that goal. Superb work from the pair.
Argentina 2 vs Australia 0
57
GOOOOOOOOOOL, Julían Álvarez! 2-0!
Ryan has had a nightmare there...
Souttar rolls the ball back to his goalkeeper and he panics with De Paul hunting him down. Ryan takes a heavy touch and it goes straight to Álvarez, who turns and rolls the ball into an empty net.
55
Messi almost in! That was strange and a very un-Australia like passage of play. Martínez boots one long and Messi is almost clean through on goal. Ryan rushes out of his goal to clear.
53
Argentina have gone to a back three with Martínez joining Otamendi and Romero in defence. I wouldn't like to run into that trio in a dark alley.
52
Otamendi dicing with calamity (not quite death) there! A short backpass almost gives Duke a chance to nip in but it just has enough on it to allow Martínez to clear.
50
Another site of goal for Messi! The ball is worked back to him from the edge of the box but he slips as he shoots and it's a comfortable save for Ryan, his first of the game.
49
First change for Argentina
This is an interesting switch...
Defender Lisandro Martínez comes on for attacker Papu Gómez.
46
Great pressing from Australia! Duke chases down Argentina goakeeper Martínez and almost leaves him red faced. He gets a block on the clearance but it goes out for a throw.
44
We've not had anything to get excited about since the goal, really. But Messi's strike has got the Argentina fans fired up again after a bit of a lull. Álvarez also doing his bit with some chasing down of the Australian defence.
41
Souttar is next to go in hard on Messi. A fair challenge but looked a sore one for the PSG star. He'll be OK though.
39
Degenek is next in the book after waving an elbow in Acuña's face. He'll also miss the next game for Australia if they turn things round.
Messi's 3rd goal of the tournament
That strike means Messi is the joint-top scorer in the competition with three goals. Nine in all World Cup tournaments now.
34
GOOOOOOOOOOAL! MESSI HAS DONE IT!
1000 games, one World Cup knockout goal!
Messi's name rings round the ground as he slots into the bottom corner, as he has so often done over the years. That came from the second phrase of a play after his own free-kick had been headed out of the box.
33
A touchline tussle between Behich and Messi has wound the Australian left-back right up. It was good pressing from Messi to win a throw and, seconds later, Behich fouls Gómez and gives Argentina a chance to get the ball in the box.
30
'Ponderous' is the word I'd use to describe Argentina so far. It's been one-paced stuff, Messi has been crowded out a couple of times in midfield as he looked to move the ball into the danger area. There's not much space for them to exploit at the moment.
29
Romero really wasn't messing about there! I mentioned he and Duke might be involved in a physical battle and that's exactly what happened there. Just as well the Spurs defender got the ball,he wasn't holding back in that tackle.
28
First moment of danger from Australia! A McGree corner finds the towering figure of Souttar, whose goalbound header is blocked by Romero!
27
A horrible shank out of play from Romero as he looks to clear Molina's short pass back to him. That was reminiscent of my golf game.
23
Aaron Mooy's delivery is excellently headed away by Otamendi under pressure. It goes back to the Celtic man, who floats another cross straight out of play. Whistles all round.
22
A bit of possession for Australia for the first time in the game and they work their way out of defence and into midfield really easily. The ball is worked wide to Leckie, who forces a corner!
20
Australia will be very happy with this so far. Mathew Ryan hasn't had anything to do in the first 20 minutes. Were they watching Cameroon last night? Stay in the game and then try something late on was their philosophy.
17
This has quickly become defence against attack but Behich makes a brave break down the left and makes his way into the Argentina box, where he is blocked off (legally) by De Paul.
16
First effort from Argentina
First effort on goal!
Papu Gómez picks the ball up on the left, drifts infield and lines one up...it ends up in the top tier of the stand.
14
Jackson Irvine trods on Acuña's toes and is first to go in the book. There'll be no quarter-final for him, if Australia go through.
11
There's been absolutely nothing in terms of goalmouth action so far so Álvarez decides to take matters into his own hands with a direct run at the Aussie goal right down the middle of the pitch. He gets as far as the edge of the box before Behich steps in to clear.
10
That's more like it from Leo! A huge roar goes round the ground as old twinkle-toes Messi skips past a couple of challenges in midfield and...plays a five-yard sideways pass.
9
WHAT HAVE I JUST SEEN?
A loose touch from Messi. Can't think of many others in...18 years.
7
Romero and Otamendi against Mitch Duke is going to be such a physical battle. Those three might end up black and blue tonight.
6
First foul on Messi. Baccus rattles into Messi as he drops deep into midfield to get on the ball. That probably won't be the last of those.
3
An early penalty shout for Argentina!
Gómez chipped one up and it did come off Baccus' hand in the box...we've seen those given, especially recently.
2
Australia were first to venture into the Argentina box but it's now the Argentines who are dominating possession. I suspect we'll see plenty of this.
We're off! Australia get us underway!