Group J: Argentina win thanks to Messi hat trick, Austria see off newcomers Jordan

Lionel Messi equals scoring record as Argentina make dream start

Defending champions Argentina launched their World Cup title defence in emphatic fashion, dismantling Algeria 3-0 at the Kansas City Stadium thanks to a masterclass from the incomparable Lionel Messi. On a night of historic milestones, the 38-year-old maestro marked his 200th senior international appearance by netting his first-ever World Cup hat-trick.

The tone was set early in a breathless opening phase where both sides saw goals disallowed for offside. However, it did not take long for Argentina’s captain to break the deadlock in the 17th minute. Receiving a pass from Rodrigo De Paul roughly 30 yards out, Messi elegantly rolled his marker, drove toward the box, and unleashed a trademark curling effort beyond the reach of Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane.

Algeria fought valiently to break through a rigid Argentine defense guided by Lisandro Martínez, occasionally finding joy down the flanks through Anis Hadj Moussa. Yet, final product eluded the Fennec Foxes, who failed to register a single shot on target against Emiliano Martínez.

Argentina asserted complete authority after the interval. In the 60th minute, Zidane failed to cleanly handle a stinging drive from Alexis Mac Allister, allowing an alert Messi to pounce on the rebound and slot home with his right foot.

The crowning moment arrived 16 minutes from time. Driving to the edge of the penalty area, Messi unleashed another signature curler to secure his match ball. The stunning treble lifts Messi to 16 career World Cup goals, drawing him level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring charts.

Argentina comfortably closed out the remaining minutes to secure three points in Group J, building perfect momentum ahead of their clash with Austria on June 22.

Austria returns to World Cup stage with win over debutants Jordan

Austria marked their return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over tournament debutants Jordan at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. While the scoreline hints at a comfortable opening Group J fixture for Ralf Rangnick’s men, the reality on the pitch was a deeply competitive affair that hung in the balance for over an hour.

Austria enjoyed the perfect start in the 21st minute when Romano Schmid broke the deadlock with a stunning strike from distance, settling early nerves for the European side. However, Jordan refused to be overawed by the grand stage. Displaying exceptional energy on the counterattack, the tournament newcomers fought back early in the second half. In the 50th minute, Ali Olwan etched his name into his country’s sporting folklore by slamming home a historic equaliser—Jordan’s first-ever goal at a World Cup finals.

The match turned into a cagey, dramatic encounter, with Austria having a Marko Arnautovic strike ruled out by VAR for a handball in the buildup. Fortunes shifted permanently in the 77th minute when an unfortunate defensive miscue saw Jordan’s Yazan Al-Arab deflect a sublime Stefan Posch corner into his own net.

As Jordan pushed bodies forward late in stoppage time to salvage a point, Austria capitalised on the open space. In the 11th minute of added time, veteran substitute Arnautovic finally got his goal, calmly converting a penalty to seal the three points.

Cover Photo: FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Reception” by UKinUSA is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0 .