World Cup 2022: 'This was the night the real Argentina stood up'

Argentina's World Cup graph continues connected an upward curve arsenic Lionel Messi's engagement successful Qatar continues into the past 16 - but the communicative of a regular triumph hardly touches the sides of the play that unfolded astatine Stadium 974.

They present look Australia, portion the Poles articulation them successful the knockout signifier connected extremity difference.

This was the nighttime the existent Argentina stood up, the fluid and competitory unit that went 36 games unbeaten earlier the rug was pulled retired from nether them by Saudi Arabia, playing astatine afloat unit to outclass Poland.

More of that aboriginal - due to the fact that the closing stages present contained hostility and play that the lucifer itself ne'er gave america due to the fact that Argentina were truthful vastly superior.

• Mexico despair but Poland joyousness connected 'crazy time of football'
• Fifa World Cup: Groups and schedule
• Reaction to a melodramatic night

Argentina were 2-0 up and Poland were done connected the flimsy ground they had less yellowish cards than Mexico, 5 to seven, but knowing different extremity conceded, oregon different for the Mexicans astatine Lusail Stadium, would nonstop them out.

In the end, Saudi Arabia enactment Poland's qualification beyond uncertainty with a extremity of their own, the catalyst for chaotic Polish celebrations connected the transportation and successful the stands. implicit with waving of reddish and achromatic flags, arsenic quality filtered done they would play France.

In the background, Argentina took the acclaim from their magnificent supporters, who flooded Stadium 974 successful their thousands and made it look and dependable much similar River Plate Stadium alternatively than this unsocial arena made from shipping containers.

Argentina were successful everyone's speech erstwhile imaginable World Cup winners were discussed but had slipped up severely against Saudi Arabia past needed a infinitesimal of Messi magic to footwear them into cogwheel erstwhile they won 2-0 against Mexico.

Here, they played astatine a higher tempo and intensity, with Messi dazzling with those mazy dribbles, adjacent proceeding his sanction chanted erstwhile helium had a first-half punishment brilliantly saved by Wojciech Szczesny.

In reality, justness was done arsenic it was an atrocious grant aft VAR, the effect of a regular aerial situation betwixt Messi and Szczesny.

This was Messi's 22nd World Cup appearance, overtaking the large Diego Maradona with the astir outright quality for Argentina successful this tournament.

Messi could not observe the landmark with a extremity but it would person near a sour sensation had helium done truthful with that punishment fixed the highly dubious quality of the award, erstwhile VAR should person confirmed it was not a punishment alternatively having Dutch referee Danny Makkelie pointing to the spot.

The lone astonishment was the breakthrough took 46 minutes earlier Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister broke the deadlock, Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez completing the formalities with a good second.

Argentina's passing crippled was consummate, the benignant Messi relishes, arsenic they completed 800 successful full and had a completion complaint of 92%, some of which were the highest connected grounds successful a World Cup crippled since 1966.

They combined the much subtle aspects of the crippled with a fierce trademark competitory edge, tearing into blockbusting tackles, harassing Poland until they coughed up possession, each subordinate consenting to bash the antiaircraft soiled enactment to regain possession.

In different words, this was the nighttime the existent Argentina stood up astatine this World Cup.

Argentina person present joined Brazil, England, France and Spain successful showcasing what they are susceptible of producing and the sheer unit of this win, and the determination to unafraid it from the archetypal whistle, volition person delighted manager Lionel Scaloni.

This looked similar the squad they were talking astir earlier the showpiece started successful Qatar, with the mercurial Messi starring the younger generation.

It was exemplified by the clever portion of accomplishment produced by 21-year-old Enzo Fernadez of Benfica to acceptable up Alvarez, lone 22, to occurrence a decorativeness precocious past Szczesny into the apical country to amusement wherefore helium is truthful highly regarded by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Thousands of Argentina fans claimed territory down each extremity astatine Stadium 974 aft the last whistle and went done their afloat songbook successful deafening manner successful a solemnisation of what they had conscionable seen and what they mightiness inactive spot from their squad successful Qatar.

Their country's colours swirled supra their heads successful the signifier of shirts and scarves successful a joyous outpouring.

The content is increasing among Argentina's players and supporters that they mightiness yet fulfil each those optimistic pre-World Cup predictions - and Messi whitethorn yet get his hands connected the crown that has truthful acold eluded him.

Get the latest results and extremity notifications for immoderate squad astatine the Fifa World Cup by downloading the BBC Sport app: Apple - Android - Amazon

Get your regular dose of Fifa World Cup reaction, statement & investigation with World Cup Daily connected BBC Sounds