Messi Recovers From Early Penalty Miss With Two Crucial Goals Against Austria
June 22, 2026 ยท By yayscore Newsroom
Updated:
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Lionel Messi scored twice, including a late clincher, to secure a 2-0 victory for Argentina against Austria, despite an early penalty setback.
Argentina continued their World Cup group stage campaign against Austria with an early scare as Lionel Messi missed a penalty in the 9th minute. However, the Albiceleste captain quickly composed himself, opening the scoring in the 38th minute with a normal goal assisted by F. Medina. This crucial goal gave Argentina a 1-0 lead going into halftime, while Austria's S. Posch received a yellow card shortly after for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The second half saw both teams make multiple substitutions, with Argentina bringing in fresh legs such as C. Romero, T. Almada, and L. Martinez between the 57th and 65th minutes. Austria also attempted to shift momentum, introducing D. Alaba, A. Prass, and M. Arnautovic as part of a triple substitution in the 67th and 68th minutes. The match became increasingly physical, evidenced by yellow cards for Argentina's F. Medina and Austria's K. Laimer in the 76th minute.
The turning point came deep into injury time when Lionel Messi sealed the win for Argentina with his second goal of the match in the 90+5th minute. This late strike extinguished any hopes of an Austrian comeback and solidified Argentina's position in their group. The composure shown by Messi to bounce back from an early penalty miss and net two decisive goals highlights his enduring influence.
Argentina's 2-0 victory builds on their previous win, placing them in a strong position within their group. Austria will need to regroup and address their attacking inefficiencies, having managed only one shot on target, as they look to recover in their final group match. For Argentina, this win, spearheaded by their talisman, reiterates their credentials as serious contenders.