Lionel Messi scored twice as Argentina secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Austria in their World Cup clash at AT&T Stadium.
The highly anticipated Group Stage fixture on June 22, 2026, saw the South American champions looking to assert their dominance. Austria entered the match in good form, hoping to cause an upset against the tournament favorites.
Argentina asserted control right from the opening whistle, keeping the ball and pressing high up the pitch. Their early dominance quickly paid off as they forced the Austrian defense into making a critical error inside the penalty area.
In the 9th minute, the referee pointed to the penalty spot after a foul in the box. Messi stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance.
Austria tried to respond, but Nicolas Seiwald and David Alaba struggled to break through the compact Argentine midfield. The South Americans continued to control the tempo, moving the ball with speed and precision across the pitch.
The pressure paid off again in the 38th minute of play. Messi found space on the edge of the box and curled a fine effort into the net to double Argentina's lead before the break.
With a comfortable two-goal cushion at halftime, Argentina looked fully in control. Austria needed to find a quick response in the second half, but their attackers found themselves starved of quality service.
The second half proved to be a much tighter affair as Austria tightened their defense. Argentina remained patient, keeping possession and circulating the ball well, finishing the match with an impressive 54 percent ball possession.
Tensions began to rise as the game progressed, leading to several physical challenges. In the 76th minute, Facundo Medina and Konrad Laimer both received yellow cards after a heated confrontation in the middle of the pitch.
Argentina dominated the final statistics, recording 12 total shots and creating an expected goals value of 2.65. In contrast, Austria struggled to threaten, managing only one shot on target throughout the entire ninety minutes.
The 2-0 victory moves Argentina to the top of the group standings with three points. Messi's match-winning performance ensures his side starts their World Cup campaign in the best possible fashion.
