Catch up on all the team news ahead of tonight’s World Cup clash between Argentina and Austria – where Lionel Messi can write himself into the history books with another goal.
Argentina can secure advancement to the knockout stages with a win over Austria tonight. The reigning world champions started strongly with a 3-0 win over Algeria, but now a tougher test awaits against Ralf Rangnick’s well-organised Austrians.
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Austria beat Jordan in their opening match and will be eager to capture the group top from Argentina.
Team news: Argentina with the stars – Austria with injury changes
Argentina will field the following starting eleven (4-3-3):
Martínez – Martínez, Romero, Medina, Molina – De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández – Messi, Almada, Martínez
Substitutes:
Musso, Rulli, Senesi, Tagliafico, Montiel, Otamendi, Paredes, Barco, Lo Celso, Palacios, González, Álvarez, Simeone, Paz, López
Austria’s starting eleven (4-3-3):
Schlager – Danso, Posch, Alaba, Schlager – Seiwald, Sabitzer, Schmid – Laimer, Wanner, Gregoritsch
Substitutes:
Wiegele, Pentz, Affengruber, Lienhart, Mwene, Friedl, Svoboda, Grillitsch, Chukwuemeka, Ljubicic, Prass, Schöpf, Arnautović, Kalajdžić, Wimmer
Key figures before the match
- Argentina won their opening match 3-0 against Algeria.
- Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s victory.
- La Albiceleste have won eight straight games in all competitions.
- Argentina have won seven World Cup matches in a row.
- Austria beat Jordan 3-1 in their opening match.
- Austria have conceded more than one goal in just one of their last 18 games.
- Austria is participating in its first World Cup since 1998.
- Argentina is the reigning world champion after winning in 2022.
- Austria has not reached the knockout stages since 1982.
- The nations have met twice before: Argentina won 5-1 in 1980, and it ended 1-1 in 1990.
Our prediction: Argentina will win – but Austria will be tougher than Algeria
Austria have become an extremely well-organised team under Rangnick, and they are likely to give Argentina a much tougher test than Algeria did in the opening round.
Argentina’s immense quality throughout the squad – combined with Messi’s outstanding form – should still be decisive. Expect a close match, but the world champions seem to have enough to secure another win – and a place in the knockout stages.
Prediction: Argentina 2-1 Austria
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