Lionel Messi turned an early miss into a record night, scoring twice as Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in their Argentina Austria World Cup 2026 meeting and moved into the second round.
Messi answers penalty miss with history
The tension arrived almost immediately at AT&T Stadium. Referee Amin Mohamed Omar initially waved play on when Lautaro Martinez went down under a challenge, but after a VAR review he awarded Argentina a penalty for Stefan Posch’s foul.
Messi had the chance to move clear of Miroslav Klose’s 16 World Cup goals from the spot in the 9th minute, but missed the target. Austria used that reprieve to grow into the half, pushing Argentina back and creating good situations without producing a clear-cut finish.
The delay lasted only until the 38th minute. Facundo Medina cut the ball back from the left, Thiago Almada let it run, and Messi arrived unmarked to finish decisively for 1-0, becoming the leading scorer in World Cup history with his 17th goal.
Argentina control Austria as threat fades
Austria had moments, including Marcel Sabitzer’s free kick in the 56th minute that forced Emiliano Martinez into his first save, and Michael Gregoritsch later headed over from a Sabitzer delivery. Their three corners to Argentina’s one showed pressure, but the final action never matched the territory.
Argentina’s control was clearer in the match rhythm. They held 54% possession, made 492 passes to Austria’s 398, and turned that into 11 shots, with five on target; Austria managed six shots and only one on target.
The edge also showed in a game that never fully settled physically: fouls were close at 13-12, and yellow cards finished even at two each. Argentina still had the sharper chances, including a late opening for Nico Gonzalez before Messi struck again in stoppage time for 2-0.
Messi leads Golden Boot race
The result keeps Argentina top of the group on 6 points from two wins, with three goals scored and none conceded. Austria remain second on 3 points, but now face pressure in the fight for position.
Messi’s night also sharpened the wider tournament picture. Vava Sport’s live Golden Boot graphic has Lionel Messi leading on 5 goals with a 9.7 rating, two ahead of Deniz Undav and Jonathan David on 3.
Match Information
Competition: World Cup. Date & Time: Monday 22 June 2026, 19:00 CET. Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington. Referee: Amin Mohamed Omar, Egypt.
