Argentina complies and avoids France in the round of 16
Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez knock down a racana Poland that passes in front of Mexico
MADRID, 30 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Argentine team beat Poland (0-2) this Wednesday in the last matchday of Group C in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a must-win to advance to the crosses and do so as first, thanks to goals from Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez in the second half, while the Polish team qualified as a miracle.
The double world champion completed her comeback after also beating Mexico to meet Australia in the round of 16. Szczesny saved Messi’s penalty and held Poland in the first half, but the South American goals came in the second. Poland played with the calculator, at the mercy of not conceding anymore and that Mexico did not go beyond 2-0 over Saudi Arabia, to return to being among the 16 best in the world as it had not done since 1986 due to two yellow cards. In the discount the ‘Tri’ fit in and Poland went through on goal difference.
The agony once again accompanied one of the candidates. Argentina besieged Poland in the first half, with more or less insistence, but with plenty of chances to have gone to the locker room much calmer. Szczesny established himself as the World Cup goalkeeper so far when in the 39th minute he saved a penalty against ’10’.
The PSG player had forced the maximum penalty from the Juventus goalkeeper, who came out at the wrong time and hit his rival’s face after heading the ball wide. A second penalty stopped in Qatar and another 45 minutes of recital to remain unbeaten. Poland lost a lot of balls at the start and seemed to decide not to go out.
The first act was played in the Polish field, with Scaloni’s men insisting on the left wing. Acuña had a hard time fine-tuning his aim but his centers and shots ended up adding danger. Di María also generated, on both flanks, and Julián Álvarez, the novelty in the Argentine eleven, had two very clear ones against the Polish hero.
Szczesny also scored an Olympic goal from Di María and, before the break, that maximum penalty that the referee indicated after the VAR warning. The face of Messi and of all the Argentines changed in less than a minute of the second half, which took time for Mac Allister to make it 0-1 after a play by Molina on the right wing.
The one from Brighton hit him with a bite and a cross, impossible for another miracle from the rival goal, while Saudi Arabia-Mexico also opened the can with two consecutive goals from ‘Tri’. Kamil Glik had Poland’s only chance, a narrowly deflected header, but Poland tried not to anger their opponents and held on.
A great goal from Julián Álvarez made it more complicated if possible, level of heart attack, with 20 minutes to go. Czeslaw Michniewicz’s men found themselves not knowing what to do: attack or defend. With both 2-0, Poland went to the round of 16 for having fewer yellow cards than the Mexicans, but in the other game the American occasions followed one another and in theirs, the third Argentinian seemed to fall.
Messi, looking to forget the penalty, had another very clear one, like Julián Álvarez again and the recently entered Lautaro Martínez and Tagliafico. The Polish coach even removed Krychowiak in case he suffered an expulsion after a yellow card. Argentina complied, avoiding France, and Poland met the Gauls finally by a goal difference with Mexico, for the Saudi 1-2 in minute 95′.
–RESULT: POLAND, 0 – ARGENTINA, 2. (0-0, at halftime).
POLONIA: Szczesny; Cash, Glik, Kiwior, Bereszynski (Jedrzejczyk, min.73), Frankowski (Kaminski, descanso); Bielik (Szymanski, min.62), Krychowiak; Swiderski (Skoras, descanso), Zielinski; Lewandowski.
ARGENTINA: E. Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Rosemary, Coin (Tagliafico, min.60); Enzo Fernandez (Pezzella, min.79), De Paul; Di Maria (Paredes, 59th minute), Messi, Mac Allister (Thiago Almada, 84th minute); Julian Alvarez.
0 – 1, min.46, Mac Allister.
1 – 1, min. 67, Julián Álvarez.
–REFEREE: Danny Makkelie (NED). He admonished Krychowiak (min.79) for Poland. And Acuña (min.49) in Argentina.
–STADIUM: Stadium 974.
