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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Rob Smyth

Argentina 2-1 Australia: World Cup 2022, last 16 – as it happened

One each: Julian Alvarez celebrates with Lionel Messi after scoring.
One each: Julian Alvarez celebrates with Lionel Messi after scoring. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

More reaction and analysis

Jonathan Liew has filed his match report, so I’m going to wrap up this blog. We’ll have a few more features on the site in the next hour or two.

Thanks for your company and emails. Congratulations to Argentina – and to Australia, who have excellend themselves at this World Cup. Good day/night.

And here’s Graham Arnold’s verdict

I just hope that everyone back in Australia really respects what we’ve done and are proud of us as well. We took it to them. I felt that we finished off well. We had a great chance at the end there to equalise. I’ve got to be very, very proud of the boys. Just so grateful at the effort they’ve put in for me.

I don’t think he has any worries on that score.

A very emotional Jackson Irvine speaks

We gave it everything. Just like we have every minute of this competition. So proud of all the players and the staff. Yeah, just not enough on the day. I think we did everything we could. We stood up to be compact and disciplined in our shape. We were excellent defensively we gave up very little until obviously the end.

You have to have a go with the last 15 minutes. I think we did everything we could to give ourselves a chance in the game. When Argentina are celebrating like this, victory against Australia, I think it shows what kind of opposition we gave them today.

It’s difficult to comprehend everything at the moment. It’s all quite raw. Erm... But yeah, I hope we made everyone proud.

Updated

Argentina were too good for an admirable but limited Australian side, who nonetheless leave the tournament with honour. In an surprising development, Lionel Messi was the star. He enlivened a dreadful first half with a fine goal and gave Australia the runaround after the break. The love-in might be slightly weird at times – Messi could stink out a lift and everyone in there would say thank you - but he really was majestic in the second half.

Julian Alvarez scored the second goal after a mistake from Mat Ryan, but Australia gave Argentina big scare at the end. Craig Goodwin’s wayward shot deflected in off Enzo Fernandez, Aziz Behich almost equalised after an amazing solo run and finally the teenager Garang Kuol was denied brilliantly by Emi Martinez in the 97th minute.

Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez in action as he saves a shot from Australia’s Garang Kuol.
Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez in action as he saves a shot from Australia’s Garang Kuol. Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

Updated

Full time: Argentina 2-1 Australia

Peep peep! Argentina will play the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-final, just like they did in 1998.

Scoring duo: Julian Alvarez celebrates with Lionel Messi.
Argentinian tango: Julian Alvarez celebrates with Lionel Messi. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

90+7 min: What a chance for Australia! A cross from the left falls nicely for Kuol, who rolls Tagliafico and hammers a close-range shot on the turn that is superbly saved by Martinez! Oh my goodness.

90+6 min Argentina are seeing this game out very comfortably. Australia have the ‘what if’ of Behich’s chance, but overall there’s no doubt that Argentina deserve to win.

90+4 min Palacios and Messi have shots blocked in quick succession. Then Ryan kicks away Martinez’s deflected shot and Messi puts the rebound well wide. He couldn’t sort his feet out quickly enough.

90+3 min: Fine save by Ryan! Messi, who has been terrific in the second half, puts Lautaro Martinez through on goal again, and this time Ryan makes an excellent save low his left.

Moments later, Messi cuts inside and whips a curling shot just over the bar.

90+3 min Souttar is up front now, but Australia are struggling to generate any attacking momentum. A set-piece is probably their best chance of an equaliser.

90+1 min There will be seven minutes of added time.

90 min A long throw is headed across the area dangerously by Souttar. Maclaren can only knock it up in the air and Emi Martinez claims. He’s challenged by Souttar in the process, and a few of the Argentina players go looking for a row. It’s all posturing.

89 min: What a chance for Lautaro Martinez! Messi leads a three-on-three break, bides his time and plays a perfect pass to the unmarked Martinez, 12 yards out. He opens his body and skies it.

88 min After a long spell of possession, De Paul stabs a nice pass down the inside-right channel towards Lautaro Martinez. He snatches at what was only a half-chance anyway, dragging a shot on the turn well wide of the far post.

87 min Argentina waste a minute or so by keeping the ball away from Australia. Excellent game-management, as we are contractually obliged to call it.

86 min There should be a fair bit of added time, at least five minutes. Australia need one last chance.

83 min Romero goes down holding his face after a challenge with Kuol. He was caught, though probably not heavily enough to justify rolling around like an eeijt.

Updated

82 min All of a sudden, Australia fancy this. Argentina were in complete control until Fernandez’s own goal.

81 min: WHAT A RUN FROM BEHICH! That, no exaggeration, was almost one of the great World Cup goals. The left-back Aziz Behich surged infield from the left, slaloming past four players before hitting a close-range shot that was superbly blocked by the stretching Lisandro Martinez. I’m pretty sure that shot was going in as well.

The resulting corner is headed away to Hrustic, who curls over from 20 yards.

Australia’s Aziz Behich in action with Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez.
Australia’s Aziz Behich in action with Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez. Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters

Updated

80 min: Double substitution for Argentina Gonzalo Montiel and Exequiel Palacios replace Naheul Molina and Alexis Mac Allister.

78 min Goodwin’s shot was going well wide, so I’m sure it will eventually go down as an own goal by Fernandez.

Australia are back in the game! Behich’s cross was cleared as far as Goodwin, 25 yards out. He smashed an errant shot that took a huge deflecftion off Enzo Fernandez and flew into the far corner.

GOAL! Argentina 2-1 Australia (Fernandez og 77)

Now then!

Australia's Craig Goodwin scores
Australia's Craig Goodwin scores Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

Updated

75 min Tagliafico gallops onto a nice pass from Lautaro Martinez and drags a cross shot well wide.

75 min It’s ending with a bit of a whimper, but Australia’s World Cup campaign has been an unmitigated triumph. The performance against a good Denmark team was outstanding, and with a kinder draw (at one stage it looked like they would be facing Poland or Saudi Arabia tonight) they could have made history by reaching the quarter-finals.

74 min “The point about concentration in the 62nd minute,” begins Julian Menz. “The same happened to the US. There is still a gulf in class between the top European and South American/even African nations and the likes of the US and Australia. It only takes a second or two to decide a match, and naivety is punished at this level.”

73 min: Triple substitution for Australia Jamie Maclaren, Fran Karcic and Garang Kuol replace Milos Degenek, Mitchell Duke and Mathew Leckie.

72 min: Double substitution for Argentina Lautaro Martinez and Nicolas Tagliafico replace Julian Alvarez, whose substitution is a compliment, and tbhe equally excellent Marcos Acuna. He looks a terrific player.

70 min “On the subject of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo,” says Phil Podolsky, “there’s a brilliant bit from a recent Sid Lowe interview with the Brazilian Ronaldo.

“‘I think there is a very, very special group where you have Diego, Messi, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Pelé, Van Basten, Ronaldinho. I would include myself. Let the fans say, let them debate it in the bars. But you can’t rank them, can’t compare generations.’

“IMHO this is simply the correct way to think about this: there’s a group of great players that can be expanded, though not ad infinitum, but certain names cannot be left out. Anything beyond is a matter of taste.”

Yeah I really like this perspective. Football has changed so much since Maradona’s time – the pitches, the thuggery of defenders, even the primacy of the World Cup – that it’s very difficult to compare.

69 min Acuna eases Degenek off the ball and surges into the area, only to be thwarted the miserable shrill of the referee’s whistle. I’m not sure that was a foul.

68 min “Nothing worse than goalkeeper error,” says Liisa Sletzinger. “So, so painful to watch. I’m remembering back to 2006 when the ball slowly dribbled through the England goalie’s legs on a pass from his own defender. If I remember correctly… that was aeons ago.”

It didn’t quite go through his legs, but that aside your memory is spot on.

66 min Acuna shapes a gorgeous, bouncing cross that just evades Alvarez; moments later, Messi shoots high and wide from 25 yards.

65 min A thrilling surge from Messi. He leaves three players behind in the middle of the pitch, wriggles into the area and is eventually challenged by the last man, Souttar I think.

63 min Goodwin’s volleyed cross is well defended by Lisandro Martinez at the near post.

62 min “So, so sad,” says Michael Hayen. “A silly free kick leading to a goal and then Ryan’s error. Has undone the generally excellent display from the Socceroos.”

I suppose it’s a reminder of the level of concentration you need at this level. For 99 per cent of the game, Australia have defended immaculately.

60 min Julian Alvarez wasn’t in the team at the start of the tournament, with many people backing Lisandro Lautaro Martinez to win the Golden Boot. Life moves pretty fast.

Updated

59 min: Double substitution for Australia Craig Goodwin and Ajdin Hrustic replace Keanu Baccus, who was excellent, and Riley McGree.

Ryan received a backpass from Rowles and was immediately challenged by De Paul. He dribbled past him but was then robbed on the blindside by Alvarez, who pushed the ball away from Ryan and dragged a shot on the turn into the empty net. Superb opportunism from Alvarez, one of the Argentina players who is good at pressing, and now Australia are in all sorts.

Updated

GOAL! Argentina 2-0 Australia (Alvarez 57)

Julian Alvarez makes it two after a sad error from Mat Ryan!

Ryan loses the ball to Julian Alvarez who sticks it past him into the goal for Argentina’s second goal.
Ryan loses the ball to Julian Alvarez who sticks it past him into the goal for Argentina’s second goal. Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Argentina's Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring their second goal
And celebrates. Photograph: Pedro Nunes/Reuters

Updated

56 min Australia have a bit of a stick-or-twist dilemma. They can’t just watch Argentina pass the ball around, as they have in the first 11 minutes of the second half, but equally they don’t want to go too early and risk being two or three down before the last 10 minutes.

55 min “That ‘lack of recovery time’ surely hampers Leo Messi,” says Mark Raven. “Lemme guess: you used to crunch budget numbers for Liz and The Kwaz, right?”

Are you a moron or a troll? Genuine question.

Updated

53 min Australia are fighting hard but they can’t lay a glove on Argentina. Saying which, Otamendi’s backpass is a bit short and Emi Martinez only just gets to it before Duke.

52 min “Argentina’s kit is one of the most difficult to mess up - wide sky blue and white vertical stripes on the front and back - but somehow adidas have managed it this year,” says Andy Flintoff. “The three narrow stripes down the middle of the back look like each shirt has been badly sewn together.”

51 min Yes, Argentina have switched to 3-5-2, as they did (I think) in the second half against Mexico last week.

50 min After a lovely passing move, all the way through Australia’s press, Messi slips as he shoots from the edge of the D. It takes a deflection and rolls through to Ryan.

Marcos Acuña of Argentina is fouled by Mathew Leckie of Australia.
Marcos Acuña of Argentina is fouled by Mathew Leckie of Australia. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

50 min: Argentina substitution Lisandro Martinez replaces Papu Gomez. Hmm, does that mean a switch to 3-5-2?

48 min “The speakers in my living room are shaking from the frenetic chanting of what appears to be tens of thousands Argentinians transplanted directly from La Bombonera,” writes Marc. “It is surreal as I feels like a home game for Argentina. How many Argentina supporters are in this stadium? It must be shaking. Can’t imagine how a BRA v ARG would sound and feel like.”

Can you imagine. Unless you count the 1978 brawl, which was a semi-final in nature if not name, they have never met in a semi-final or final of a World Cup.

48 min Emi Martinez faffs around in possession and is very nearly robbed by Mitchell Duke. Martinez’s clearance brushing the stretching Duke’s boot and ran to safety.

47 min “Argentina seem incapable of fast breaking,” says Zafar Sobhan. “Every time they get the ball they bring it back and slow it down, giving the defence the time to get set. Not only does it make for dull football but they are just making it exponentially harder for themselves to score. This is why they create so few chances. Good thing for them that they are so clinical but it’s no way to live.”

On this form I can’t see them winning it, but we’ve said that about a few teams down the years. Italy in 1982 are the obvious example.

46 min Peep peep! Argentina begin the second half.

Half-time reading

“From the picture, Messi’s shot doesn’t seem to be in the corner as it goes in,” says Richard Hirst. “Should the keeper have done better?”

I wondered about that, but I don’t think so for two reasons – Messi took the shot early, and Ryan probably saw it late because it went through the legs of Souttar. It was a terrific finish.

Updated

Half time: Argentina 1-0 Australia

A perfect first half for Australia – apart from the five-second period in which Lionel Messi upped the tempo to devastating effect. He started and finished a fine move to score his 789th goal, and his first in the knockout stage of a World Cup, in his 1,000th game.

That was the only shot on target at either end. Australia defended with calm authority and at times kept the ball pretty comfortably. But sometimes great footballers are just a bit too good.

rgentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates
Argentina go into halftime in the lead. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

Updated

44 min “This,” says Amanjit Gill, “isn’t good for the old ticker.”

44 min “I’m fairly sure” says Alex Whitney, “that goal was dedicated to Behich.”

Please tell me he did the Valverde in front of him.

43 min Argentina have picked up where they left off before the goal: slow-slow-slower. They should be going in for the kill here.

42 min Overall that was Messi’s ninth World Cup goal, which puts him one away from Gabriel Batistuta’s Argentina record.

41 min “Me and my mates are rooting for Australia,” says Miguel Coelho, “for the sole reason we want to see Jackson Irvine score while we debate if that is a 70s pornstar moustache or a teenager-wanting-to-look-older one. Go Aussies!”

40 min The Argentina fans, who were pretty quiet before the goal, are now making a joyful racket. Australia just need to get to half-time without further damage.

39 min One of the interesting things about Messi’s goal is that it stemmed from him playing the hard man. He shoved Behich out of play, which annoyed Behich to the extent that he booted Gomez a few seconds later. The resulting free-kick led to the goal.

38 min Degenek is harshly booked for a foul on Acuna. He’ll also miss the quarter-final if Australia get there.

Updated

It came from that free-kick on the right. Messi swung it into the six-yard box, where Souttar got in front of Ryan to head clear. Papu Gomez flicked a nonchalant volley out to Messi, who scampered infield and gave the ball to Mac Allister on the edge of the D. He fed it into Otamendi, who touched it off* to Messi, charging into the area. Messi took a quick touch and threaded a daisy-cutter across Ryan. That’s a lovely finish, a pass rather than a shot, and much more like the slow-slow-quick football we expected to see tonight.

* Or miscontrolled it, I’m not entirely sure.

Updated

GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Australia (Yep 35)

Lionel Messi scores his first goal in a World Cup knockout game!

Argentina's Lionel Messi scores their first goal past Australia's Mathew Ryan
Guess who? Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores their first goal past Australia’s Mathew Ryan Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores their first goal
Straight through the Socceroos defence. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Updated

34 min Baccus dispossesses Messi for the fourth time in about five minutes. Maybe the lack of recovery time is a reason for Argentina’s sluggish performance.

Behich, irritated by a legitimate shoulder charge from Messi, puts Gomez up in the air. That’s a silly tackle that gives Argentina a free-kick on the right wing.

33 min At the moment Argentina’s tempo is slow-slow-slower.

31 min Baccus makes another good tackle on Messi, who was shaping to shoot from about 25 yards.

30 min De Paul finds Messi in a bit of space, but he’s quickly dispossessed by a combination of Mooy and Baccus.

29 min Irvine wins a corner down the left. McGree’s outswinger is met by the mighty Souttar, whose downward header hits Romero and ricochets to safety.

28 min “Having just pointed out that the Australian kit looks a bit like the Brazilian kit,” begins Andy Gordon, “my Argentinian wife’s fervour for this game has just gone up several notches.”

27 min This is – no offence – utter muck from Argentina. Australia look so comfortable defensively, and at the moment they’re having more of the ball as well.

25 min “Argentina playing like they’re perpetually feeling their way into the first five minutes of the game,” says Paul Fitzgerald.

Yeas, the pace has been really slow. As Danny Murphy points out on the BBC coverage, Australia’s press isn’t the best either, so Australia are able to pass the ball about in defence.

24 min Mooy’s outswinging corner is headed away decisively by Otamendi.

24 min After a long spell of possession, Leckie’s cross hits Acuna and goes behind for the first corner of the game. Set-pieces are really important for Australia…

Australia fans soak up the atmosphere ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia
Socceroos in full swing. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

22 min Australia take care of another 60 seconds by passing the ball around at the back. Graham Arnold will be very happy with the first quarter of the game.

20 min “A-Team???” sniffs Alan Terlep. “70s??? The A-Team is one of the most 80s of 80s American TV shows. It wouldn’t have existed without Ronald Reagan.”

Yeah I’ve had a shocker there.

19 min Australia’s first good attack. Irvine gets to the byline on the left and cuts an excellent ball back towards Behich. He moves into the area but is tracked well by De Paul and eventually runs the ball out of play.

18 min “I currently have Covid and my heart rate is elevated,” says Amanjit Gill. “So I really REALLY need us to keep Messi out of our box. My life may depend on it.”

And people thought Bill Shankly was being sarcastic.

17 min Gomez cuts inside from the left and belts one into orbit.

17 min I know it’s a cliche, but this realise is like a training exercise: attack and defence, invasion and repulsion. So far Australia are doing really well, though there’s a helluva long way to go.

15 min Jackson Irvine is booked for an overzealous tackle on Acuna. He’ll miss the quarter-final if Australia get there.

14 min “Used to like Argentina, starting with the great Mario Kempes,” says Gene Salorio. “Passarella too, greatest thug ever, Maradona not so much. Now not at all because the incessant drumbeat for ‘blessed sainted most humble person ever Messi’ is even more tiresome than CR’s colossal ego. I’d even root for England against them.”

There’s a lot to unpick there.

Lionel Messi winking
‘Tiresome Messi’ with a cheeky wink prior to kickoff. Photograph: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Updated

12 min Alvarez has now started pulling out to the right, albeit with licence to roam. He wanders infield and then into the Australia area after a lucky ricochet, but Behich tracks him diligently and clears. Australia are defending well.

10 min A poor touch from Messi – a magnificently poor touch, the poor touch of a genius – allows Australia to break, but it’s soon snuffed out. They are really struggling to keep the ball.

Nahuel Molina of Argentina in action.
Nahuel Molina of Argentina in action. Photograph: Friedemann Vogel/EPA

Updated

9 min The game is fairly uneventful, which at least allows me to try to work out what formation each team is playing. McGree is definitely on the left wing for Australia, though I can’t quite work out Leckie’s position.

7 min Baccus leaves one on Messi near the centre circle. It’s all Argentina, though at the moment they are playing in front of Australia.

7 min Messi has started as a No10, with nobody on the right except the full-back Nahuel Molina.

6 min “The ‘I pity the fool…’ catchphrase is one of the best and most durable around from the 1970s, but I’ve always felt a little bit queasy about the BA Baracus character: a black musclebound simpleton there to do the bidding of cleverer and wilier white man. I don’t think it was even particularly okay back in those days, and you’d hope that it wouldn’t get onto screen nowadays.”

You think he was a simpleton? Bit racist.

5 min I think the ball hit Baccus on the chest and then ricocheted onto his hand. If so, that would explain by VAR weren’t interested.

4 min: Penalty appeal for Argentina. Gomez’s cross from the left hit what looked like an outstretched hand of Baccus just inside the penalty area. The referee wasn’t interested and play continues.

Updated

3 min Nothing to report as yet. Australia’s formation looks like 4-4-2, which is a slight surprise. I think Jackson Irvine is playing on the left wing.

Updated

2 min “Greetings from California,” says Mary Waltz. “Still mourning the US loss, but the Dutch schooled us, they were better. Argentina should carry this match easily. Australia’s possible advantage? The psychological pressure that Argentina are under to help Messi win a World Cup. If the Aussies can keep it goalless for a long period of time the blue and white may crack under the pressure.”

1 min Peep peep! Australia get the match under way, kicking from right to left as we watch.

Australian fans react during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Australia
Let the contest begin. Photograph: Jorge Sáenz/AP

Updated

“As a Socceroos fan, it’s been generally agreed that this is the weakest squad we’ve sent to the finals,” says Andrew James. “For them to match the achievements of our strongest one (2006) is testament to Arnie’s coaching. I don’t expect we’d beat Messi & co, but it’s a knockout game - anything is possible.”

The players line up for the anthems. There’s no doubt which side will feel at home tonight: the stadium is heaving with Argentina fans.

“I like watching Lionel Messi play as much as the next person, and I understand that there is a narrative about this being his final chance to win the World Cup to match Maradona, etc,” says David Wall. “But does his every action have to be made out to be evidence of his genius?

“After the game against Mexico all anyone wanted to talk about was his first touch to set up his goal. And yes, it was a good first touch, and he’d not have been able to get his shot away if it’d been bad. But it was nothing more than that. If that’s the mark of genius then what does that say about Takuma Asano on his way to score Japan’s second goal against Germany?”

This has been going on for ages. Messi’s first goal of the 2014 World Cup was an own goal by Mensur Mujdza, but everyone was so high on narrative that they gave it to him. There was almost an omerta surrounding it. I can understand all this Messiperbole, even if it is a bit infantile.

Updated

A reminder of the teams

Argentina (4-3-3) E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Alvarez, Messi, Gomez.
Substitutes: Armani, Foyth, Tagliafico, Montiel, Paredes, Pezzella, Di Maria, Rulli, Palacios, Correa, Almada, Rodriguez, Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Lisandro Martinez.

Australia (4-3-3) Ryan; Degenek, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; Baccus, Mooy, Irvine; Leckie, Duke, McGree.
Substitutes: Atkinson, Karacic, Tilio, Wright, Maclaren, Hrustic, Mabil, Redmayne, Devlin, Vukovic, Deng, Kuol, King, Cummings.

Updated

Anyone following this game in Perth? What’s it like watching a crucial World Cup game at 3am on a Sunday morning? (Or 5.30am if you’re in Adelaide and 6am in you’re in Melbourne.)

Updated

“I pity the fool who thinks they know how this battle of the ‘A’-Teams will pan out,” says Peter Oh. “I’m pretty sure that some of these players are not ready to go home yet. How do you say ‘I ain’t getting on no airplane!’ in Spanish, and in Aussie English?”

The King

The only previous World Cup meeting between these sides was an intercontinental playoff in 1993. Graham Arnold played in it, as did Diego Maradona.

“I think the universe is paying us back for all the hard work we’ve done”

This is a really nice piece on what the Australian team went through just to reach Qatar, never mind qualify for the last 16. I think I’d like to work for Graham Arnold.

“Come on Harry!” says Joshua Reynolds. “The Stoke City faithful are thrilled. I’m happy I already have a cat named ‘Harry’ that I can console or congratulate with a shower of tuna-flavoured treats.”

Four channels we used to have

Lionel Messi plays the 1,000th game of his career tonight. He has scored 788 goals in that time, but none have been at the business end of a World Cup. It’s one of modern football’s odder stats that the Goat brothers, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have never scored in a World Cup knockout game. This will be Messi’s ninth attempt.

Team news: Di Maria on the bench, Baccus starts

Both managers make one change. Papu Gomez replaces Angel Di Maria, who was a doubt because of a thigh injury and is only on the Argentina bench. And St Mirren’s Keanu Baccus makes his full international debut for Australia, replacing Craig Goodwin. That means a paradoxically defensive switch from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3.

Argentina (4-3-3) E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez, Gomez.
Substitutes: Armani, Foyth, Tagliafico, Montiel, Paredes, Pezzella, Di Maria, Rulli, Palacios, Correa, Almada, Rodriguez, Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Lisandro Martinez.

Australia (4-3-3) Ryan; Degenek, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; Baccus, Mooy, Irvine; Leckie, Duke, McGree.
Substitutes: Atkinson, Karacic, Tilio, Wright, Maclaren, Hrustic, Mabil, Redmayne, Devlin, Vukovic, Deng, Kuol, King, Cummings.

Referee Szymon Marciniak (Poland)

Argentina fans ready for the game .
Argentina fans ready for the game . Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Updated

The team news should arrive just over an hour before kick-off. Both teams were highly impressive in beating Poland and Denmark, but the short turnaround – those games were on Wednesday – means there may be one or two changes.

Updated

Preamble

Hello and welcome to the battle of the bouncebackables. Of the 16 15 (farewell, USA) teams left in the World Cup last-chance saloon, Argentina and Australia have been there the longest. They each lost their first game 12 days ago, Argentina earthquakingly, before recovering to win the last two and qualify fir the knockout stage with authority. Argentina topped their group and rediscovered their swagger against Poland; Australia put out a fancied Denmark team and only finished behind France on goal difference.

Both are aiming to make history either in the next couple of weeks (Argentina) or the next few hours (Australia). Argentina want to win a third World Cup, and their first since a peedie Lionel Messi came into the world; Australia hope to become the first Socceroos men’s team to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup.

Their only previous appearance in the last 16 was in 2006, when they missed a helluva chance to beat the eventual winners Italy. (I wonder what VAR would have made of Lucas Neill’s challenge on Fabio Grosso.)

Argentina’s team is likely to include players from Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Juventus and Atletico Madrid. The Australia coach Graham Arnold is shopping at Columbus Crew, Stoke City, Adelaide United and Fagiano Okayama. On paper it’s a mismatch, but then so was Australia v Denmark. We’ve assumed many results in this tournament, only to end up agape at the glorious unpredictability of the World Cup.

The winners will play the Netherlands in the second quarter-final on Friday. Oh, and just one more thing. No. Social. Media.

Kick off 7pm GMT, 10pm in Al Rayyan, 4pm in Buenos Aires, 6am (Sunday) in Canberra.

Updated

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