Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into World Cup folklore, becoming the first to score in seven straight finals matches as a largely second-string Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 in Dallas on Saturday for a third consecutive win in Group J.
Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to the line-up that beat Austria but goals from Giovani Lo Celso, Lautaro Martinez and Messi, who started on the bench, sealed a victory that sent a warning to Cape Verde, their opponents in the round of 32.
Argentina will take on the African debutants in Miami on Friday having ominously won all their group-stage games with minimal fuss.
Lo Celso opened the scoring against the already eliminated Jordanians in the 19th minute and Martinez doubled the advantage from the penalty spot 12 minutes later.
Mousa Altamari pulled one back for Jordan 10 minutes into the second half but Messi’s 80th-minute free kick saw him move past France’s Just Fontaine and Brazilian Jairzinho by scoring in a seventh World Cup finals match in a row.
“The boys played a good match, we were able to give minutes to everyone and that makes us happy,” said Scaloni. “Lo Celso couldn’t be in the previous World Cup, Lautaro hadn’t been able to score. We’re happy for them. Now the good part is coming.”
Lo Celso had been heavily involved throughout a lively opening quarter of the game and it was for a foul on the playmaker by Mohannad Abutaha that Argentina received the free kick from which they took the lead.
The Real Betis man stepped up from 20 metres to bend his left-foot strike around the Jordanian defensive wall and, with goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila moving to his left, the ball curled into the opposite corner unopposed.
Martinez almost doubled the lead with a close-range effort that hit the crossbar and when Leandro Paredes was kicked in the head by Nizar Alrashdan as he stooped to meet the rebound, referee Istvan Kovacs pointed to the spot after a VAR review.
The Inter Milan forward made no mistake with his penalty, rolling the ball into the corner with Abulaila having guessed the wrong way.
Martinez clipped the woodwork with an attempt from distance soon after the interval before the Jordanians pulled one back to become the first side to beat Argentina keeper Emi Martinez at the 2026 finals.
Ehsan Haddad was found in space on the right and the Jordanian captain slid an inviting low centre across the face of goal for substitute Altamari to steer home.
Messi was introduced to a huge roar from the crowd on the hour mark and got on the scoresheet late in proceedings.
The Inter Miami man was upended 25 metres from goal and he picked himself up to stroke home a low free kick from a central position that Abulaila misjudged as it bent around the wall.
“This was our first World Cup appearance, and it was a good experience for the players,” said Altamari. “We gained valuable experience, and hopefully it won’t be our last.
“What I want to say is that the future will be better. We certainly had the opportunity to go further in this tournament, but destiny decided otherwise and we are out.” (Reuters)