Messi Seals World Cup History With Free-Kick As Argentina See Off Jordan

Argentina stayed perfect in World Cup Group J with a 3-1 win over Jordan at Dallas Stadium, as Lionel Messi arrived from the bench to curl in an 80th-minute free-kick. The goal kept Argentina on course before a last-32 meeting with Cape Verde and allowed Messi to strengthen control of the Golden Boot race with a sixth tournament strike.

Argentina had already secured first place in Group J before kick-off, so Lionel Scaloni rested Messi, who had scored five goals across the opening two World Cup games. Nicolas Otamendi captained the side in Messi’s place, while Messi, who turned 39 earlier this week, matched Angel Labruna by appearing at a World Cup aged 39.

Messi’s late free-kick settled any nerves after Jordan cut the deficit. The Argentina number 10 skipped past Amer Jamous, drew a foul and then bent the dead ball around the wall. The shot beat Yazeed Abulaila for Messi’s record-extending 19th World Cup goal and made Messi the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup appearances.

The free-kick also gave Argentina a rare statistical landmark. With Messi scoring direct from distance and Giovani Lo Celso doing the same earlier, Argentina became only the fourth team since 1966 to hit two direct free-kick goals in one World Cup match, joining Japan, Yugoslavia and Brazil on that list.

Lo Celso had already put Argentina in control during an assertive first half. Otamendi first headed over from Lo Celso’s corner, then Mohannad Abu Taha fouled Lo Celso on the edge of the area in the 19th minute. Lo Celso struck the free-kick into the top-left corner on World Cup debut, beating Abulaila and becoming the first Argentina debut scorer since Martin Palermo in 2010.

That strike also made Lo Celso the second Argentina player this century to score a direct World Cup free-kick, following Messi’s goal against Nigeria 12 years ago. From then, Argentina increased pressure. Nicolas Tagliafico crossed for Lautaro Martinez, who hit the woodwork, before Abulaila reacted sharply to deny new Tottenham defender Marcos Senesi on the follow-up.

The penalty that gave Argentina a 2-0 lead followed the same chaotic moment. Nizar Al Rashdan’s raised boot caught Senesi on the head as Senesi tried to head the loose ball, and after a VAR review, referee Istvan Kovacs awarded a spot-kick. Martinez sent Abulaila the wrong way from 12 yards and finally opened a World Cup account.

That conversion arrived in Martinez’s ninth World Cup appearance and with his 17th effort at the tournament. The goal took Martinez to 38 strikes for Argentina and lifted Martinez to fourth place on the nation’s all-time scoring list. Otamendi and Julian Alvarez both then went close to stretching the advantage before half-time.

Jordan stayed in the contest and struck back after the restart. Early in the second half, Martinez clipped the crossbar again, but the response came from the Asian side as Messi readied for introduction. Substitute Mousa Al Tamari met Ehsan Haddad’s precise cross and finished well, halving the deficit and giving Argentina a brief scare.

The comeback did not develop further, as Argentina’s control across the match remained clear in the numbers. Scaloni’s team recorded 12 attempts and an expected goals value of 2.13, while Jordan produced five efforts for 0.74 xG. Argentina therefore closed the group with three wins from three and now prepare for a last-32 tie against Cape Verde.