Argentina have set up a date with Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar on Friday next week.
This comes after Argentina beat Australia 2-1 in a last-16 encounter at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan on Saturday evening.
Lionel Messi scored his first goal in World Cup knockout stages when he netted in the 35th minute to give Argentina the lead. This was the former Barcelona star’s third goal in this tournament and his ninth overall surpassing the eight goals the late Diego Maradona scored in the World Cup tournament.
This was also the 35-year-old seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and Paris Saint Germain forward’s 789th goal in 1000 career matches.
The 1978 and 1986 World Cup champions doubled their lead through Julian Alvarez’s goal after a big blunder by Socceroos goalkeeper Mathew Ryan in the 57th minute.
The Socceroos pulled one back when Craig Goodwin’s shot deflected off Enzo Fernandez and went straight to the far corner in the 77th minute.
