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Milos Degenek: Messi is the greatest, but he's quality (0:14)
Australia and Columbus Crew defender Milos Degenek talks astir his admiration for Lionel Messi earlier facing Argentina successful the circular of 16 astatine the World Cup. (0:14)
Lionel Messi spearheaded Argentina's complaint to the World Cup quarterfinals aft helping to unafraid a 2-1 triumph against Australia connected Saturday.
On his 1,000th vocation match, Messi scored the opening extremity with a sublime effort earlier Julian Alvarez scored successful the 2nd fractional to acceptable up a quarterfinal necktie against the Netherlands and sound Australia retired of the tournament, arsenic the Socceroos were incapable to physique upon their fortuitous precocious goal.
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Despite Argentina's firepower, Australia managed to bounds the aboriginal proceedings to beryllium uneventful with neither broadside exerting immoderate dominance.
But the Socceroos' defence was breached connected 35 minutes arsenic Messi showed his undeniable prime to people his archetypal ever extremity successful the World Cup knockout stages.
The Paris Saint-Germain guardant started the determination with a darting tally wrong from the close helping -- a speedy speech of passes landed him wrong the container earlier helium unleashed a left-footed curling changeable past Mat Ryan.
Argentina's grip connected a quarterfinal spot was tightened 12 minutes aft half-time arsenic Rodrigo De Paul pounced connected a slack interaction by Australia goalkeeper Ryan, allowing Alvarez to slot into a vacated net, doubling his side's lead.
A triple substitution for Australia connected 72 minutes signified a hopeless past rotation of the dice by manager Graham Arnold and they were handed a lifeline erstwhile an ain extremity by Enzo Fernandez halved their shortage 13 minutes from time.
Craig Goodwin latched onto a escaped shot extracurricular the container and struck a fierce effort first-time, which took a immense deflection disconnected Fernandez, fooling goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and hitting the backmost of the net.
With renewed optimism, Aziz Behich came adjacent to levelling the crippled 3 minutes aboriginal arsenic helium embarked connected a fantastic darting run, beating 4 Argentina defenders earlier yet being thwarted by Lisandro Martinez successful the box.
Despite their desire, a comeback didn't materialise for Australia and their awesome World Cup tally came to a halt.
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