Lionel Messi was indeed the star of Argentina’s match against Algeria in the reigning world champions’ first match at the FIFA World Cup in Kansas last night.
Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win, equaling Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goalscoring record. The Argentine has now scored 16 goals.
He also broke a record by playing in his sixth World Cup. A record that his arch nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo will equal in Portugal’s first game.
Argentina now has three points in the group, while Algeria has none. Austria and Jordan will meet in the second game of the group, but that game starts at four o’clock tonight.
Tonight’s game got off to a lively start and Messi put the ball in the net after only five minutes of play, but was adjudged offside.
Algeria thought they had taken the lead three minutes later when Fáres Chaibi scored, but the goal was quickly disallowed in VAR as Chaibi was adjudged offside.
The first goal of the game came in the 17th minute when Rodrigo De Paul found Messi in his favorite position and the wizard scored with a good shot that Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane managed to squeeze in before the ball flew into the far corner.
Lionel Messi scores the first goal of the game in the 17th minute
AFP/Francois Nel
The Argentines had the upper hand in the game, but Algeria’s defensive wall was tight and there were not many chances in the first half.
The Messi show continued
Lionel Messi scored Argentina’s second goal in the 60th minute, putting Argentina in a comfortable position. Alexis MacAllister then had a shot just outside the box after the Algerians cleared from goal.
Zidane rather clumsily hit the ball straight at the feet of Lionel Messi who easily slotted the ball into the corner.
Messi celebrates his second goal tonight.
AFP/Michael Steele
The king then scored his first hat-trick at the World Cup sixteen minutes later when Nicolás Gonzalez put the ball on him and Messi hammered the ball into the near corner completely unguarded by Zidane.
Algeria goalkeeper Enzo Zidane made no save as Lionel Messi completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute.
AFP/Juan Mabromata
Little happened after this, since the results were decided, but it will be considered probable that Messi will break the goal record in the next game against Jordan.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi in a battle with Algeria’s and Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri.
AFP/Juan Mabromata
Lionel Messi warming up before the match.
AFP/Juan Mabromata
