by Craig Laycock
Original article:

Lionel Messi continued to sprinkle his magic, breaking a new record to be the first man to score in seven consecutive World Cup games as Argentina beat Jordan to maintain their 100% record in Group J.
Meanwhile, Algeria and Austria played out a memorable 6-goal thriller with a dramatic ending in Kansas City to book progress for both sides to the last 32. Austria were on the precipice of elimination before their 96th minute goal from Kalajdzic hauled them out of the group stage and into the knockouts.
***
Jordan 1 - 3 Argentina
The maestro Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a wonderful free kick in a dominant win for Argentina that saw the defending champions maintain their 100% record at the World Cup so far to top the group, and Messi make history (again).
His chase for the Golden Boot is more than alive and well, as he now sits two goals clear of his nearest challenger, with six goals already.
Argentina opened their goals tally with a free kick from Giovanni lo Celso, followed by a Lautaro Martinez penalty after the referee and VAR adjudged a high boot to have been swung at Marcos Senesi.

While that decision was correct, one can’t help but think of the decision to not intervene when a high boot impacted Ecuador’s last match, showing some inconsistency to VAR’s approach.
It was pretty much all Argentina, but Jordan pulled one back through Mousa Al Tamari’s top finish from Ehsan Haddad’s precise cross.
But the history man arrived on cue to settle things, introduced to rapturous applause to score a delicious free kick from a central area about 24 yards from goal curled low and hard around the wall to befuddle the keeper and bag the record of scoring in seven consecutive World Cup games while extending his own other record of top goalscorers in World Cup history, with 19.

Phwoar.
***
Algeria 3 - 3 Austria
Algeria and Austria played out one of the games of the tournament as Riyad Mahrez twice brought Algeria back from the brink before nearly eliminating Austria, with both sides earning a point thanks to a clutch 96th minute leveller from Austria that kept their World Cup alive.
By the 93rd minute of this match, Iran were qualifying as one of the best third placed teams, but Austria’s leveller sent them home in dramatic fashion.
Marko Arnautovic got the scoring going in this one, running onto a ball from David Alaba to knock one past changed Algeria keeper Oussama Benbot. That sparked some life from Algeria who had to attack the game, and created the conditions for a perfect seesaw game of high octane football.
Fares Chaibi smashed one against the upright before Rafik Belghali equalised in creative fashion after picking up a ball that bounced off the corner flag, dancing into the box and slotting home at the near post.
Austria weren’t done and reasserted their lead through Marcel Sabitzer in the 55th minute from a Laimer pull back, which sparked Algeria again and talisman Mahrez was there to collect an Aouar cross and equalise.

It was looking like a draw might be the most likely result at that stage as the game fizzled out, only for Mahrez to lash a goal home in the 93rd minute to leave Austria’s hopes dangling by a thread.
It took a dramatic intervention from the desperate last minute substitute Kalajdzic to level things for Austria, his goal coming from a header in the 96th minute with the clock controversially two minutes over the allotted added time.

Austria won’t care, and Algeria probably won’t either. Both sides go through in thrilling fashion setting up dates with Spain for Austria and Switzerland for Algeria.
***
Final table
1st - Group Winners | Argentina |
2nd - Qualified | Austria |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Algeria |
4th - Eliminated | Jordan |
8 min read
Group J Concludes: Messi tidy, Austria drama
The records keep tumbling for Lionel.
8 min read

Lionel Messi continued to sprinkle his magic, breaking a new record to be the first man to score in seven consecutive World Cup games as Argentina beat Jordan to maintain their 100% record in Group J.
Meanwhile, Algeria and Austria played out a memorable 6-goal thriller with a dramatic ending in Kansas City to book progress for both sides to the last 32. Austria were on the precipice of elimination before their 96th minute goal from Kalajdzic hauled them out of the group stage and into the knockouts.
***
Jordan 1 - 3 Argentina
The maestro Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a wonderful free kick in a dominant win for Argentina that saw the defending champions maintain their 100% record at the World Cup so far to top the group, and Messi make history (again).
His chase for the Golden Boot is more than alive and well, as he now sits two goals clear of his nearest challenger, with six goals already.
Argentina opened their goals tally with a free kick from Giovanni lo Celso, followed by a Lautaro Martinez penalty after the referee and VAR adjudged a high boot to have been swung at Marcos Senesi.

While that decision was correct, one can’t help but think of the decision to not intervene when a high boot impacted Ecuador’s last match, showing some inconsistency to VAR’s approach.
It was pretty much all Argentina, but Jordan pulled one back through Mousa Al Tamari’s top finish from Ehsan Haddad’s precise cross.
But the history man arrived on cue to settle things, introduced to rapturous applause to score a delicious free kick from a central area about 24 yards from goal curled low and hard around the wall to befuddle the keeper and bag the record of scoring in seven consecutive World Cup games while extending his own other record of top goalscorers in World Cup history, with 19.

Phwoar.
***
Algeria 3 - 3 Austria
Algeria and Austria played out one of the games of the tournament as Riyad Mahrez twice brought Algeria back from the brink before nearly eliminating Austria, with both sides earning a point thanks to a clutch 96th minute leveller from Austria that kept their World Cup alive.
By the 93rd minute of this match, Iran were qualifying as one of the best third placed teams, but Austria’s leveller sent them home in dramatic fashion.
Marko Arnautovic got the scoring going in this one, running onto a ball from David Alaba to knock one past changed Algeria keeper Oussama Benbot. That sparked some life from Algeria who had to attack the game, and created the conditions for a perfect seesaw game of high octane football.
Fares Chaibi smashed one against the upright before Rafik Belghali equalised in creative fashion after picking up a ball that bounced off the corner flag, dancing into the box and slotting home at the near post.
Austria weren’t done and reasserted their lead through Marcel Sabitzer in the 55th minute from a Laimer pull back, which sparked Algeria again and talisman Mahrez was there to collect an Aouar cross and equalise.

It was looking like a draw might be the most likely result at that stage as the game fizzled out, only for Mahrez to lash a goal home in the 93rd minute to leave Austria’s hopes dangling by a thread.
It took a dramatic intervention from the desperate last minute substitute Kalajdzic to level things for Austria, his goal coming from a header in the 96th minute with the clock controversially two minutes over the allotted added time.

Austria won’t care, and Algeria probably won’t either. Both sides go through in thrilling fashion setting up dates with Spain for Austria and Switzerland for Algeria.
***
Final table
1st - Group Winners | Argentina |
2nd - Qualified | Austria |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Algeria |
4th - Eliminated | Jordan |
Group J Concludes: Messi tidy, Austria drama
The records keep tumbling for Lionel.


Original article:
Last updated:
Lionel Messi continued to sprinkle his magic, breaking a new record to be the first man to score in seven consecutive World Cup games as Argentina beat Jordan to maintain their 100% record in Group J.
Meanwhile, Algeria and Austria played out a memorable 6-goal thriller with a dramatic ending in Kansas City to book progress for both sides to the last 32. Austria were on the precipice of elimination before their 96th minute goal from Kalajdzic hauled them out of the group stage and into the knockouts.
***
Jordan 1 - 3 Argentina
The maestro Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a wonderful free kick in a dominant win for Argentina that saw the defending champions maintain their 100% record at the World Cup so far to top the group, and Messi make history (again).
His chase for the Golden Boot is more than alive and well, as he now sits two goals clear of his nearest challenger, with six goals already.
Argentina opened their goals tally with a free kick from Giovanni lo Celso, followed by a Lautaro Martinez penalty after the referee and VAR adjudged a high boot to have been swung at Marcos Senesi.

While that decision was correct, one can’t help but think of the decision to not intervene when a high boot impacted Ecuador’s last match, showing some inconsistency to VAR’s approach.
It was pretty much all Argentina, but Jordan pulled one back through Mousa Al Tamari’s top finish from Ehsan Haddad’s precise cross.
But the history man arrived on cue to settle things, introduced to rapturous applause to score a delicious free kick from a central area about 24 yards from goal curled low and hard around the wall to befuddle the keeper and bag the record of scoring in seven consecutive World Cup games while extending his own other record of top goalscorers in World Cup history, with 19.

Phwoar.
***
Algeria 3 - 3 Austria
Algeria and Austria played out one of the games of the tournament as Riyad Mahrez twice brought Algeria back from the brink before nearly eliminating Austria, with both sides earning a point thanks to a clutch 96th minute leveller from Austria that kept their World Cup alive.
By the 93rd minute of this match, Iran were qualifying as one of the best third placed teams, but Austria’s leveller sent them home in dramatic fashion.
Marko Arnautovic got the scoring going in this one, running onto a ball from David Alaba to knock one past changed Algeria keeper Oussama Benbot. That sparked some life from Algeria who had to attack the game, and created the conditions for a perfect seesaw game of high octane football.
Fares Chaibi smashed one against the upright before Rafik Belghali equalised in creative fashion after picking up a ball that bounced off the corner flag, dancing into the box and slotting home at the near post.
Austria weren’t done and reasserted their lead through Marcel Sabitzer in the 55th minute from a Laimer pull back, which sparked Algeria again and talisman Mahrez was there to collect an Aouar cross and equalise.

It was looking like a draw might be the most likely result at that stage as the game fizzled out, only for Mahrez to lash a goal home in the 93rd minute to leave Austria’s hopes dangling by a thread.
It took a dramatic intervention from the desperate last minute substitute Kalajdzic to level things for Austria, his goal coming from a header in the 96th minute with the clock controversially two minutes over the allotted added time.

Austria won’t care, and Algeria probably won’t either. Both sides go through in thrilling fashion setting up dates with Spain for Austria and Switzerland for Algeria.
***
Final table
1st - Group Winners | Argentina |
2nd - Qualified | Austria |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Algeria |
4th - Eliminated | Jordan |
8 min read
Group J Concludes: Messi tidy, Austria drama
The records keep tumbling for Lionel.


Lionel Messi continued to sprinkle his magic, breaking a new record to be the first man to score in seven consecutive World Cup games as Argentina beat Jordan to maintain their 100% record in Group J.
Meanwhile, Algeria and Austria played out a memorable 6-goal thriller with a dramatic ending in Kansas City to book progress for both sides to the last 32. Austria were on the precipice of elimination before their 96th minute goal from Kalajdzic hauled them out of the group stage and into the knockouts.
***
Jordan 1 - 3 Argentina
The maestro Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a wonderful free kick in a dominant win for Argentina that saw the defending champions maintain their 100% record at the World Cup so far to top the group, and Messi make history (again).
His chase for the Golden Boot is more than alive and well, as he now sits two goals clear of his nearest challenger, with six goals already.
Argentina opened their goals tally with a free kick from Giovanni lo Celso, followed by a Lautaro Martinez penalty after the referee and VAR adjudged a high boot to have been swung at Marcos Senesi.

While that decision was correct, one can’t help but think of the decision to not intervene when a high boot impacted Ecuador’s last match, showing some inconsistency to VAR’s approach.
It was pretty much all Argentina, but Jordan pulled one back through Mousa Al Tamari’s top finish from Ehsan Haddad’s precise cross.
But the history man arrived on cue to settle things, introduced to rapturous applause to score a delicious free kick from a central area about 24 yards from goal curled low and hard around the wall to befuddle the keeper and bag the record of scoring in seven consecutive World Cup games while extending his own other record of top goalscorers in World Cup history, with 19.

Phwoar.
***
Algeria 3 - 3 Austria
Algeria and Austria played out one of the games of the tournament as Riyad Mahrez twice brought Algeria back from the brink before nearly eliminating Austria, with both sides earning a point thanks to a clutch 96th minute leveller from Austria that kept their World Cup alive.
By the 93rd minute of this match, Iran were qualifying as one of the best third placed teams, but Austria’s leveller sent them home in dramatic fashion.
Marko Arnautovic got the scoring going in this one, running onto a ball from David Alaba to knock one past changed Algeria keeper Oussama Benbot. That sparked some life from Algeria who had to attack the game, and created the conditions for a perfect seesaw game of high octane football.
Fares Chaibi smashed one against the upright before Rafik Belghali equalised in creative fashion after picking up a ball that bounced off the corner flag, dancing into the box and slotting home at the near post.
Austria weren’t done and reasserted their lead through Marcel Sabitzer in the 55th minute from a Laimer pull back, which sparked Algeria again and talisman Mahrez was there to collect an Aouar cross and equalise.

It was looking like a draw might be the most likely result at that stage as the game fizzled out, only for Mahrez to lash a goal home in the 93rd minute to leave Austria’s hopes dangling by a thread.
It took a dramatic intervention from the desperate last minute substitute Kalajdzic to level things for Austria, his goal coming from a header in the 96th minute with the clock controversially two minutes over the allotted added time.

Austria won’t care, and Algeria probably won’t either. Both sides go through in thrilling fashion setting up dates with Spain for Austria and Switzerland for Algeria.
***
Final table
1st - Group Winners | Argentina |
2nd - Qualified | Austria |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Algeria |
4th - Eliminated | Jordan |
8 min read



