Lionel Messi is now the youngest and oldest player to score and assist in a single FIFA World Cup edition after his all-round performance inspired Argentina to a crucial win against Mexico on Saturday night. Argentina opened the scoring in the 64th minute when the diminutive genius lashed out a powerful low drive from more than 20 yards out that gave Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa no chance at stopping it.
Argentina then doubled the lead in the 87th minute after substitute Enzo Fernández curled in a superb strike from inside the penalty box to seal an important win and three points for the South Americans. Messi provided the assist by laying it off for Fernández from just outside the penalty box to register an assist.
This all-round performance saw Messi cement his longevity in the game in addition to his greatness.
1 - Lionel Messi is now both the youngest (18y 357d vs Serbia in 2006) and the oldest (35y 155d vs Mexico today) player to both score and assist in a single World Cup game since the start of the 1966 tournament. Longevity. pic.twitter.com/e6Ak6fmI8l— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2022
Group C
Argentina bounced back from the opening-game defeat against Saudi Arabia and is now second in Group C with 3 points, level with its nemesis from that defeat. Mexico is bottom of the group after the defeat, with only 1 point to its name, while Poland leapt to the top of the table after beating Saudi Arabia 2-0, with 4 points from 2 matches.
Argentina and Messi will wrap up the group stage against Poland on Thursday (12:30 am IST) and cannot afford a slip up as a defeat will see them crashing out of the group stage.
