Lionel Messi shattered the World Cup scoring record as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 in Dallas to book their place in the knockout stages.
The Argentina captain, 38, had an early opportunity to open the scoring but saw his penalty saved after VAR awarded a spot-kick for a foul on Lautaro Martinez. However, he soon made amends, finishing clinically from Facundo Medina’s low cross in the first half.
That goal took Messi to 17 World Cup goals, moving him past Germany’s Miroslav Klose to become the outright highest scorer in the tournament’s history.
He later added a second in stoppage time, taking his tally to five goals in just two Group J matches after his hat-trick against Algeria.
Austria, who had opened their campaign with a win over Jordan, showed energy and resilience but lacked cutting edge in attack. Despite the defeat, they remain in contention for a place in the next round.
Argentina, meanwhile, top Group J and continue their strong defence of the title as they progress into the knockout phase.
