Messi and Argentina advance at World Cup, beat Poland 2-0

Soccer lovers can rest. Lionel Messi will play at least once more in the World Cup.

The Argentina great had a penalty saved, but his team beat Poland 2-0 Wednesday following second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez and moved to the last 16.

Argentina finished first in Group C and will play Australia, a surprise qualifier for the knockout stage, after opening the World Cup with a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.

Messi enters Saturday's match in a great position in what may be his final World Cup.

The World Cup begins again. "Hopefully we can continue to do what we did today," Messi stated.

Poland finished second in the group, ahead of Mexico on goal difference, and will play reigning champion France next.

Messi was relieved after failing to score a penalty for the second straight World Cup. After Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny slapped him in the face with his flailing palm, he made atonement by diving to his left to block Messi's kick in the 39th minute.

"I'm unhappy that I missed the penalty, but the squad came back stronger after my error," he remarked.

At Stadium 974's 44,000 seats, a mostly pro-Argentina audience had been cheering Messi and his squad on, waving flags and scarfs and beating drums behind both goals. The crowd chanted "Messi! Messi!" to lift their idol's spirits.

The roars were even louder at the start of the second half, first after Mac Allister's goal, a scruffy finish from Nahuel Molina's cut-back from the right, in the opening minute and shortly after as news spread that Mexico had grabbed the lead against Saudi Arabia, which started the day in third place.

Messi's dribbling and vision made him a threat to Poland in his record 22nd World Cup appearance. He dodged three opponents and drifted past another in a 40-meter solo run before miskicking.

The match was supposed to be a matchup between Messi and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, the world's top centre forward.

Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz claimed, "Robert would have scored five goals if Messi played with us and Robert played for Argentina." Robert needs aid because the match was only played in our half.

Both goals were scored without Messi's involvement. In the 67th minute, Enzo Fernandez passed to Alvarez, who started ahead of Lautaro Martinez, and he curled his shot into the top corner.

Lionel Scaloni's brave moves in bringing in Alvarez, Fernandez, and Molina and watching them score paid off. Mac Allister, who didn't start against Saudi Arabia, has brought midfield energy in the two games since.

Argentina suddenly looks like the team that entered the World Cup on a 36-match unbeaten run and as one of the tournament favourites a year after winning the Copa America.

According to Mac Allister, "We wanted to make atonement for that Saudi Arabia game because we believed we could play better." "We've found that calm we needed... we played well collectively and it provides us with confidence."

The Mexico-Saudi Arabia game was still going on when the final whistle blew, leaving Poland players wondering if they advanced. Poland and Mexico were separated by five yellow cards each in the group stage, and Michniewicz was pleading with his squad to avoid fouling in the last minutes.

Mexico won 2-1 after a Saudi stoppage-time goal. Poland's goal difference was one better.

Poland's players squirted water from their bottles and leapt up and down after learning they had advanced.

Losses can be bittersweet, Michniewicz remarked.