Jordan's first World Cup campaign ended without a point after a 3-1 defeat to defending champions Argentina on Saturday, with Lionel Messi coming off the bench to score once again as the South Americans completed a perfect sweep of Group J.
Argentina Dominates Group Stage
Giovani Lo Celso, in his first World Cup start, put Argentina ahead to stay when he scored on a direct free kick in the 19th minute. Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead with a penalty kick in the 31st minute after a VAR review. Messi added a goal in the 80th minute after entering in the 60th minute, three days after his 39th birthday.
Messi, the top scorer in World Cup history with 19 goals, leads this tournament with six goals. He has scored in seven consecutive World Cup games, breaking a tie with France's Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho for the longest all-time streak, according to FIFA records.
Jordan's Consolation Goal
Mousa Altamari, who entered at the start of the second half, scored in the 55th minute for Jordan, the world's 72nd-ranked team. Jordan lost all three group games, being outscored 8-3. "We are proud to have scored against the world champions, but we know we have a lot of work to do," Altamari said after the match.
Argentina, which had already clinched Group J, made nine changes to the starting lineup from the previous game. Only Lautaro Martinez and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez started all three group matches. Argentina has seven wins and two draws in its last nine World Cup games.
Upcoming Knockout Match
Argentina plays in the round of 32 on Friday against Cape Verde, the smallest country to earn a spot in the knockout round. That game is in Miami, the home of Messi's Major League Soccer team. This is the fifth time Argentina has won all its matches in the group stage, first since back-to-back tournaments in 2010 and 2014. France and Mexico were the only other squads in this expanded 48-team World Cup to get the maximum nine points.
Lo Celso and Martinez both scored their first World Cup goals. Lo Celso's free kick was the first direct free kick goal for Argentina in a World Cup since Messi against Nigeria in 2014. Nicolás Paz, who made his World Cup debut subbing in for Messi in the opener, made his first start. Paz and Giuliano Simeone are the first sons of former Argentina national team players to compete in a World Cup.
