Argentina 3-1 Jordan: Messi strikes again as La Albiceleste cruise into last 32 with reserve side

Argentina made it 3 wins from 3 successful Group J connected Saturday night, but Lionel Scaloni volition instrumentality acold much from this show than the scoreline unsocial suggests. With 9 changes from the broadside that dismantled Austria, the defending champions eased past Jordan 3-1 successful Arlington — and hardly broke a sweat doing it.

Lionel Messi, introduced from the seat successful the 2nd half, needed conscionable minutes to adhd his sanction to the scoresheet erstwhile more, converting a free-kick to marque it six goals astatine this tourney and 19 successful World Cup shot overall. Giovanni Lo Celso had opened the scoring from a set-piece successful the archetypal half, Lautaro Martínez added a penalty, and Mousa Tamari's consolation did thing to disturb Argentina's rhythm.

Argentina 3-1 Jordan: What conscionable happened?

Scaloni's rotated XI looked thing but a reserve side. With Exequiel Palacios deployed astatine right-back to signifier a compact backmost enactment and Leandro Paredes arsenic the fulcrum of a build-up operation that has go 2nd quality to this squad, Argentina moved the shot with the aforesaid assurance that has defined their campaign. Lo Celso struck from a free-kick aft an earlier effort was ruled out, earlier Lautaro converted from the spot pursuing a determination helium mostly engineered himself — initially striking the crossbar earlier Marcos Senesi was fouled connected the follow-up.

The 2nd fractional opened with Julián Álvarez having a extremity disallowed for offside and Lautaro rattling the woodwork again, earlier Tamari gave Jordan little hope, drilling a debased decorativeness crossed extremity aft a clever passing determination done the lines. Messi's entranceway from the bench, however, was capable to punctual everyone of the earthy bid of things. His free-kick, curled into the country past Yazeed Abulaila, enactment the crippled beyond uncertainty and added yet different section to a grounds that nary longer surprises anyone.

13 goals successful the past 10 World Cup games ? pic.twitter.com/fYQMiHUMW0

Argentina 3-1 Jordan: The large talking point

This was arsenic overmuch a tactical objection arsenic a result. Scaloni has built a strategy alternatively than a squad — 1 that absorbs unit changes without losing its identity. Nico Paz and Lo Celso occupied the half-spaces down Jordan's midfield, Lautaro and Álvarez played disconnected the enarthrosis of the centre-backs, and Argentina finished with 12 shots, broadly successful enactment with the 10 they managed against Algeria and the 12 against Austria. The numbers person been remarkably accordant crossed each 3 radical games. What varies is the opposition. What doesn't is the method.

Argentina 3-1 Jordan: The bigger picture

Messi's extremity extended a grounds that felt unreachable until now: helium has scored successful 7 consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing his ain erstwhile best. At 38, helium remains the tournament's astir unsafe dead-ball specialist, and Scaloni volition person watched this cameo with quiescent restitution alternatively than concern.

Argentina's reward for finishing apical of Group J is simply a last-32 necktie against Cape Verde — arguably the astir comfy gully a radical victor could person hoped for successful this expanded format. A imaginable way done Egypt oregon Australia successful the circular of 16, and Colombia, Ghana, Switzerland oregon Algeria successful the quarter-finals, means the defending champions could scope the semi-finals without facing different erstwhile satellite champion. Only then, should some advance, would a gathering with Brazil oregon England await.

Argentina 3-1 Jordan: What happens next?

Argentina look Cape Verde successful the Round of 32, a broadside that qualified from Group H connected 3 points aft a goalless gully with Saudi Arabia. For Scaloni's side, it represents a manageable archetypal hurdle earlier the gully perchance opens up further. The concern, if determination is one, is that nary hostile has yet genuinely tested them — and the questions that travel with tourney shot thin to get without warning.

Jordan, meanwhile, depart having competed good capable against the champions but ne'er earnestly threatened an upset. Their lone consolation was Tamari's finish: excessively late, excessively little, and yet irrelevant to an Argentina broadside already looking ahead.