KEIR RADNEDGE in DOHA —- Argentina never make it easy for themselves. Victory over Poland was a team target in their concluding Group C tie while Leo Messi had personal interest in his scoring duel with his player prizes successor Robert Lewandowski.

Eventually, after Messi had missed a penalty, Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez saw Argentina to a comfortable 2-0 victory in the second half. Poland squeaked through as runners-up because Mexico beat Saudi Arabia by an inadequate 2-1 in the other match.

Game, set and group to Messi. Argentina were so dominant that Lewandowski might as well not have been on the pitch. As it was he spent his evening in the company of Argentina’s centre backs, probably fretting in the closing minutes about the vagaries of the fairplay table which might have decided whether Poland or Mexico stayed on for the round of 16.

The answer was Poland since Mexico, who finished level on four points, conceded a late goal in their eventual 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia. Thus the Saudis, who staged one of the finals’ shocks by defeating Argentina first time out, went home early.

Argentina storm on, looking in the first hour something like the team everyone hoped to see – and, presumably, like the team in which Messi hoped to find himself at his last World Cup.

Many great players have come and gone without even playing the finals yet alone come close to winning them so it remained a weird expectational burden for Messi to grasp the ultimate national team prize on his farewell appearance.

Mixed years

Perhaps it was that indelible reminder of the painful moment in Maracana in 2014 when Messi had to stumble past the golden trophy to receive his award as best player at the finals in Brazil. He was inches away. So near and yet so far.

Messi and Argentina misfired in Russia in 2018 and the past four years had brought the tear-laden exit from Barcelona and slightly jarring exile at Paris Saint-Germain. But now he was back on the World Cup stage, one more curtain call from destiny.

Poland, at kickoff in Stadium 974, topped Group C with four points followed by both Argentina and Saudi Arabia on three. No room for error.

Argentina began as if they meant business. No egos showing, just a solid, hard-working, quick-moving team ethic. The aim was to win the match as soon as possible. Messi led the way. Szczesny saved one effort delivered as Messi was falling, then pushed another effort around a post after Messi had accelerated out beyond the fullback.

Goal chances

This was breathtaking stuff. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had set one particular puzzle for Poland by posting Angel di Maria wide on the left instead of the right and he and Acuna achieved significant overload.

Acuna was only narrowly off target with a rasping angled drive in the 28th minute.

The clearest opportunity to open the scoring was gifted to Argentina by referee Danny Makkelie in the 37th minute. The Dutchman ruled that Szczesny had fouled Messi by pushing his hand, as he fell, in the Argentinian’s face. It was dubious at best and justice was done when Szczesny dived left to make a superb save from Messi’s penalty.

Not that it remained goalless much longer.

Decisive strikes

Six minutes into the second half rightback Nahuel Molina pulled back a cross and Alexis Mac Allister scuffed the ball just inside Szczesny’s right-hand post. Another 17 minutes and it was 2-0 with Julian Alvarez turning and shooting into the top corner after being set up by the increasingly impressive Enzo Fernandez.

Szczesny pulled off another couple of saves from Messi as Argentina strolled through the closing minutes. They celebrated in front of their fans on topping the group and reaching the round of 16. Several minutes passed before the Poles could do the same once the Saudi-Mexico result had been confirmed.

Messi thus continues to scamper along destiny’s treadmill.

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