Lionel Messi scored his first goal in a World Cup knockout round in his 1,000th match to beat Diego Maradona s tournament tally, as Argentina beat off a frenzied Australia fightback to win 2-1 on Saturday and reach the quarter-finals.
Messi his side ahead after 35 minutes with a coolly taken low strike for his 94th international goal, passing the great Maradona s eight World Cup goals, in a match where he was instrumental in almost every Argentine attack.
Julian Alvarez made it two near the hour mark after pouncing on a howler by keeper Mat Ryan to set up a mouth-watering last-eight clash next Friday with the Netherlands, who beat the United States 3-1 earlier in the day.
