The Soccerooos shocked the world by reaching this stage of the tournament, but can they keep their dream going when they face Messi and Co.?

The second Round of 16 game in the FIFA World Cup will feature Argentina and Australia, two teams that made it to this stage with the same number of points but in different circumstances and with different obligations for this match.

La Albiceleste topped Group C despite an initial scare against Saudi Arabia, but the team bounced back with convincing wins against Mexico and Poland, both of them with similar two-nil scores. With those wins, Argentina went back to the driver's seat in the group and now are ready to keep their thoughts of a third World Cup title, the first with Lionel Messi at the helm.

The Socceroos, on the other hand, started on the wrong foot with a heavy 4-1 loss to France, but two one-nil wins over Tunisia and Denmark gave them a chance to reach the next round of a World Cup for the first time since 2006. While this team may not be as talented as the one that faced Italy in that KO Stage, it seems that the team's defensive prowess and order could be enough to give the South Americans a hard time.

This will not be the first time in which these two nations lock horns in a KO stage related to the FIFA World Cup. Back in 1993, these teams played the intercontinental playoff, where La Albiceleste emerged victorious with a 2-1 aggregate. Will history repeat itself, or will the Socceroos shock the world and eliminate the powerful Argentine crew?

Argentina vs Australia - Team news

La Albiceleste survived an early scare in the tournament. but Lionel Scaloni's team can now focus on what will be coming for them with a full squad to choose from, starting with Lionel Messi and his two goals in three games. The South Americans will also benefit from the presence of players such as Ángel Di María, Lautaro Martínez, and Julián Álvarez, who have helped Messi's efforts on the pitch during different moments of the tournament.

On the other hand, Australia make it to this match in high spirits with several players to keep an eye on. The first one of those has to be Mathew Leckie, the man who gave the Socceroos the chance to play in the next round with his goal against Denmark. Other players to keep an eye on would be Mitchell Duke and Craig Goodwin, the other players that have scored for Australia in this World Cup. Having a full squad to choose from will give Australia the necessary tools to face La Albiceleste as properly as possible.

Argentina vs Australia - Head-to-head

  • This will be the first FIFA World Cup game between Argentina and Australia.

  • Argentina and Australia have played seven times against each other previously. The record between them shows five wins for Argentina, one draw, and one win for Australia.

  • La Albiceleste make it to this game on a four-game winning streak against the Socceroos.

  • Australia's only win against Argentina came on July 14, 1988. The game ended in a four-one win for the Socceroos.

  • The last game between these teams ended in a one-nil win for Argentina back in 2007.

  • This will be Lionel Scaloni's first game as a coach against Australia.

  • Australia's coach Graham Arnold has faced Argentina once in his coaching career. That match ended in a one-nil win for Argentina.

Broadcast info: Argentina vs Australia

 

Match details, result and original broadcast info

Argentina 2 - 1 Australia

December 3, 2022 2:00pmAhmad bin Ali Stadium (Al Rayyan (Al-Rayyan))

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

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