NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia – Lionel Messi’s frustrating international career may be coming to an early and anti-climactic finish after Argentina’s worst loss in World Cup group play in 60 years.
With Diego Maradona watching from the stands, the 2014 runners-up were routed by Croatia 3-0 Thursday. The Croats are moving on to the round of 16.
Messi didn’t get a single shot off in a defeat that pushed Argentina to the brink of elimination. Messi, who turns 31 on Sunday, has never won a major title with Argentina’s senior national team despite of decade of championships with Barcelona and five player of the year awards.
“He is our captain, he leads the team and we quite simply couldn’t pass to him,” Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli said. “We work to give Leo the ball, but the opponent also works hard to prevent him from getting the ball.”
Messi also missed a penalty kick in his team’s opening 1-1 draw against Iceland.
Argentina, hurt by the poor play of goalkeeper Willy Caballero on Thursday, had not lost by such a large margin in the first round since a 6-1 defeat to Czechoslovakia in 1958. Caballero gained the starting role because of an injury to No. 1 keeper Sergio Romero in the run-up to the tournament.
Argentina, which has not missed the second round since failing to qualify for the 1970 World Cup, has not been eliminated. But the two-time champions need to win their next match against Nigeria on Tuesday, as well as get help from other matches.
Caballero mangled a clearance and kicked the ball toward Croatia defender Ante Rebic, who one-timed it into the net in the 53rd minute.
“After they scored on us, we were emotionally broken,” Sampaoli said. “I had a lot of hope. I am extremely hurt by this defeat, but I probably didn’t understand the match the way I should have.”
And it got worse as Argentina crumbled, frustrated by the Croatian defense. Modric scored with a hooking shot in the 80th and Ivan Rakitic added the third in stoppage time.
Croatia frustrated Argentina throughout the match and never gave Messi space to operate.
“Argentina wasn’t confused. We were excellent,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said. “We beat a great Argentina with the best player in the world playing, Messi.”
Croatia, which reached the 1998 World Cup semifinals but has not advanced past the group stage since then, will face Iceland on Tuesday in Rostov-on-Don.
“Let’s keep our feet firmly on the ground and prepare for the next matches,” said Modric, the man of the match. “We should be focused on what awaits. Every next game is going to be more difficult, but our main objective has been reached. It looks easy, but it was not that easy.”
YEKATERINBURG, Russia – Fast, exciting and now the youngest scorer in France’s World Cup history.
Kylian Mbappe is the one.
At 19 years and 183 days, Mbappe became the youngest player to score for France’s national team on soccer’s biggest stage. And his reward was leading his squad into the round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over Peru on Thursday.
“I’ve always said that the World Cup is a dream for any player,” said Mbappe, who was born a few months after France won the 1998 title. “It is a dream come true and I hope I will have more like this.”
With two wins from two matches in Group C, France is through to the next round with a match to spare. Peru was eliminated.
Paul Pogba, one of France’s best players, set up the 34th-minute goal for Mbappe. Pogba beat his defender and passed to Olivier Giroud, who then chipped the ball toward goal for Mbappe to easily tap in past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.
France coach Didier Deschamps made a pair of tactical adjustments after an underwhelming performance in the team’s opening win over Australia. He put Giroud and Blaise Matuidi in the starting lineup but kept the same 4-3-2-1 formation with Giroud up front.
Both used their speed and passing to expose gaps in Peru’s backline.
Paolo Guerrero started for Peru after coming off the bench in the opening loss to Denmark. He came out with energy, but he cooled down after receiving a yellow card in the 23rd minute.
Guerrero nearly missed the World Cup before his doping ban was lifted by a Swiss judge prior to the tournament. France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was one of three opposing captains, along with Australia’s Mile Jedinak and Denmark’s Simon Kjaer, who signed a letter to FIFA supporting the lifting of the ban.
Guerrero had one of Peru’s best chances in the 87th minute from a free kick, but his attempt went right at Lloris.
“We gave it our best in two matches. We came into this match with a completely different set of expectations, but I have nothing to hold against my players,” Peru coach Ricardo Gareca said. “France is a hard team to harness. ... France corrected its style over the course of the game, this proves that France is a great side.”
Gareca said in both games his team’s ball control created opportunities, “but we couldn’t finish, we couldn’t score.”
Peru was outshot 12-10, with only two of those chances on target. Two others were blocked.
SAMARA, Russia – Mile Jedinak has a knack for penalty kicks and his strategy is beyond simple.
“Just to get that ball in the back in the net,” the Australia captain said after converting from the spot to give Australia a 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday and new life at the World Cup.
The 38th-minute penalty was set up after Denmark forward Yussuf Poulsen was called for a handball following a video review. Poulsen was also cautioned by the referee and will be suspended for the team’s final group match against France because of yellow card accumulation.
The goal was Jedinak’s second from the spot at this year’s World Cup, and it snapped Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s five-match streak of shutouts for the Danes.
“It’s more just composing and staying concentrated, regardless of the situation, regardless of where you’re standing and regardless of what’s going on around you,” added Jedinak, who has converted 16 consecutive penalties.
Christian Eriksen scored in the opening minutes for Denmark, which has gone unbeaten in 17 consecutive international matches.
Going into the tournament, No. 36 Australia was the lowest-ranked team in Group C with the others all in the top 12.
With a loss to France in the opener, a defeat Thursday would have made it nearly impossible for the Socceroos to advance to the next stage. Denmark, meanwhile, won its first match against Peru.
Moments after Mathew Leckie’s early header for Australia sailed over the goal, Eriksen sent a left-footed shot over goalkeeper Mathew Ryan’s outstretched arms.
The Danes held the lead until the yellow on Poulsen, which was not without controversy. Video replay also gave Peru a penalty against the Danes in the opener, but it wasn’t converted.
“I think after today I don’t like the system. It’s the second match it’s been used against us,” Eriksen said. “If you want to use the VAR for penalties, you should also use it for free kicks. Two matches in a row, that’s bitter.”
After the pleas from Denmark’s players to the referee went unheard, Schmeichel had a few words with Jedinak to rattle him. It didn’t work.
“You still have to stay focused in getting good contact and maintain that focus,” said Jedinak, who plays for Aston Villa.
Pione Sisto nearly gave the Danes the advantage just after the halftime break, but his shot went to the right of the goal. Australia added some firepower in the 68th, bringing on 19-year-old Daniel Arzani as both teams scrambled for a winning goal.
Who’s in and who’s out at the World Cup
MOSCOW – Who’s in, who’s out and possible scenarios at the World Cup:
GROUP A
Russia and Uruguay have clinched berths in the round of 16, and Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been eliminated.
GROUP B
Morocco has been eliminated, leaving Portugal and Spain (four points each) and Iran (three) to compete for two spots. Spain plays Morocco on Monday, when Portugal meets Iran.
GROUP C
France clinched advancement with a 1-0 win over Peru on Thursday and leads with six points. Denmark is second with four after a 1-1 draw against Australia, which has one point. Peru has been eliminated. Denmark plays France on Tuesday, when Australia takes on Peru.
GROUP D
Croatia clinched a trip to the second round with a 3-0 shocker over Argentina on Thursday and tops the group with six points. Argentina has one point after two matches and is in big trouble, especially if Iceland (one point) beats Nigeria (no points) on Friday. Argentina plays Nigeria on Tuesday, when Croatia plays Iceland. If Iceland defeats Nigeria, and an Iceland-Croatia draw on the group’s final day would advance Iceland and knock out Argentina.
