Argentina beat Australia 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup
Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 34th minute with a flourish of his famed left foot. It was his third goal of the competition and ninth goal overall at the World Cup, one more than Diego Maradona.
With his first goal in the World Cup elimination round, Lionel Messi scored his 1,000th career goal and helped Argentina advance to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory over Australia on Saturday.
Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 34th minute with a flourish of his famed left foot. It was his third goal of the competition and ninth goal overall at the World Cup, one more than Diego Maradona.
Argentina scored twice to advance to the quarterfinals against the Netherlands thanks to a goal from Julian Alvarez who capitalised on a harsh touch by Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.
Craig Goodwin's attempt from Australia was deflected into the goal by Argentina player Enzo Fernandez in the 77th minute to give the visitors a consolation victory.
Garang Kuol had a chance to force extra time in the dying moments of the match while the Australians applied late pressure, but Emi Martinez of Argentina stopped his shot. Unheralded Australian players found the knockout round of the World Cup to be a match too far, surpassing expectations by making it there for the first time. Australia fell to eventual champion Italy in the round of 16 in 2006.
Perhaps it is a sign for Argentina, which has won three straight games after suffering a devastating defeat to Saudi Arabia in its opening group encounter.
Messi has scored 789 goals so far in his career, which might culminate on December 18 if he wins soccer's most prestigious trophy in his fifth and most likely final World Cup.
The seven-time world player of the year's dream is still alive thanks to the tens of thousands of Argentine fans who filled the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, vastly outnumbering the few pockets of green-and-gold-clad Australian fans and giving the game the atmosphere of a match in Rosario or Buenos Aires.
After Messi's goal, the Argentina supporters joyfully celebrated their favourite player's most recent feat of ingenuity by bouncing, swaying, and twirling their scarves.
He had been quiet up until that point due to the Australia team's tight formation and strong defence crowding him out.
The tallest outfield player at the World Cup, Harry Souttar of Australia, was able to block Messi's shot through the long legs of the defender after Messi sent a pass inside to the area's edge and continued running. Eventually, Nicolas Otamendi laid off to Messi, who then took one touch and finished through Souttar's long legs.
And when Alvarez added the second, it appeared as though Argentina would win easily. Messi began to put on a performance, and one 40-meter (yard) dribble that saw him glide past three players and be tackled just as he was ready to shoot mesmerised the fans. The chorus was "MESSI! MESSI!"
Australia put up a stirring comeback in the final 20 minutes, even starting Souttar up front in stoppage time for his aerial danger, so this was no easy victory. Two Argentina players nearly scored after a late barrage of high balls as Martinez made a clutch late stop.
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