- Argentina plays Mexico in a must-win World Cup encounter on Saturday.
- The Argentines lost their opening Group C match 2-1 to Saudi Arabia.
- France might advance if they defeat Denmark at Stadium 974, constructed from shipping containers.
Lionel Messi and his colleagues will play Mexico in a must-win World Cup encounter for Argentina on Saturday in Qatar.
Argentina, who entered Doha with a 36-match unbeaten streak and as one of the tournament’s favorites, is in a perilous position after suffering a stunning 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.
The Argentines have stated that they will draw inspiration from their 1986 World Cup-winning captain, Diego Maradona, who passed away two years ago this week.
“We keep him in mind. He was a very important person in world football, and not just for us Argentines,” said Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez.
“Today is a sad day for everyone and hopefully tomorrow we can give happiness.”
The Argentines are aware that they cannot afford a recurrence of their opening Group C meeting.
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Martinez, who twice had a goal ruled out for offside against the Saudis, said, “It was difficult but we’re a united group, a strong group that knows what we want, we know about our opponents, we’ve already overcome many things.”
When they face Poland and prolific striker Robert Lewandowski, who has yet to score a World Cup goal in his career, the Saudis will have a chance to demonstrate that they are more than a flash in the pan.
In the goalless draw against Mexico, the Barcelona forward missed a penalty.
In other games on Saturday, the defending champions France might advance to the round of 16 if they defeat Denmark at Stadium 974, which is constructed from shipping containers.
In their opening 4-1 victory over Australia, French defender Lucas Hernandez was injured, joining a list of absentees that included Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who limped out of the World Cup before a ball was kicked.
Australia faces another arduous journey against a resilient Tunisian team.
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