On June 27, Argentine player Lionel Messi celebrates a goal.
The result of this match is irrelevant to qualification. Argentina had already secured first place in their group by defeating Algeria and Austria in their previous two group matches. Jordan, making their World Cup debut, lost both of their matches and has been eliminated.
In this match, Argentina's head coach Scaloni made extensive changes to the starting lineup, with only goalkeeper Martinez and striker Lautaro continuing to start, Messi on the bench, and 38-year-old veteran Otamendi wearing the captain's armband.
Click below to view the complete pre-match analysis from OpenScore.
Throughout the match, Argentina dominated possession with 66%, taking a two-goal lead in the first half. First, Jordan's Abtaha committed a foul, conceding a free kick to Argentina just outside the penalty area. Lo Celso curled a left-footed shot into the top corner. Shortly after, Argentine defender Senesi was tackled in the head by a defender while diving for a header inside the box. After VAR intervention, the referee awarded a penalty, which Lautaro converted to make it 2-0.
On June 27, Argentine player Lautaro Martinez (second from right) dribbles the ball during the match.
In the 55th minute, Ethan Haddad crossed from the right wing, and Moussa Tamari slid in to score, pulling one back for Jordan. Five minutes later, amidst deafening cheers from the crowd, Messi came on as a substitute. In the 80th minute, Argentina won a free kick in the attacking third, and Messi's shot curled around the wall and into the net. This was his sixth goal of the tournament and his 19th in the World Cup. Argentina secured a 3-1 victory and will face the underdog Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
