2022 World Cup: Argentina reach into QFs

Lionel Messi marked his 1,000th professional game with his first goal in the knockout stage of a World Cup

Argentina into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Australia on Saturday

Messi scored Argentina's third goal of the tournament with a flourish of his famed left foot in the 34th minute.

Australia scored a 77th-minute consolation goal when Craig Goodwin's shot deflected into the net off Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez

For Australia's squad of unheralded players, it was a match too far at a World Cup

in which the team has exceeded expectations by reaching the knockout stage for only the second time

Australia also lost in the last 16 in 2006, to eventual champion Italy.

Maybe it's an omen for Argentina, which has fully recovered from its shocking loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match and won three straight games.

As for Messi, he now has 789 goals in a career that might yet reach a crescendo on Dec. 18 by winning the soccer's biggest trophy in his fifth and likely last World Cup.

Jesse James denies cheating on pregnant wife