Dallas, June 22:
Lionel Messi and Argentina will look to secure their place in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup when they face Austria in a crucial Group J encounter at Dallas Stadium on Monday.
The defending world champions head into the match brimming with confidence after a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria, a game in which Messi rolled back the years with a stunning hat-trick.
The result lifted Argentina to the top of the group standings, while Austria sit second on three points following their 3-1 win over Jordan.Messi’s treble not only strengthened Argentina’s hopes of another deep run in the tournament but also brought him within one goal of breaking Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.
However, Argentina’s primary focus remains securing qualification for the round of 32.A victory over Austria would guarantee progression, while even a draw would leave Lionel Scaloni’s side in a strong position to advance from the group.
Argentina have been in exceptional form in recent months. They have won seven of their last eight matches and have maintained an impressive defensive record, conceding more than once in only a handful of games.
Their triumph over Algeria also extended a remarkable run at the World Cup, with another win set to equal their longest streak of consecutive victories in the competition.
Austria, however, are unlikely to make life easy for the South American giants. Ralf Rangnick’s men opened their campaign with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Jordan.