History in Dallas: Messi Scores Record-Breaking 17th Goal to Give Argentina Lead at Half-Time
Lionel Messi has officially become the all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup history with his 17th goal, putting Argentina 1-0 ahead against Austria at half-time in their Group J clash at the Dallas Stadium .
History in Dallas: Messi Scores Record-Breaking 17th Goal to Give Argentina Lead at Half-Time
It was a night of high drama and redemption for the Argentine captain. After missing a first-half penalty that would have instantly broken the record, Messi was clearly frustrated . The crowd at the AT&T Stadium was left in stunned silence when he dragged the spot-kick wide. For a moment, it seemed like the weight of history was playing on his mind.
However, Messi proved exactly why he is considered the greatest.The history-making moment came in the 38th minute from open play. A swift counter-attack saw Facundo Medina deliver a precise cut-back to Messi on the edge of the box, and he made no mistake this time, curling a left-footed strike into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 .
That goal moved him past Germany's Miroslav Klose (16 goals) to claim the record he has been chasing for over a decade .The first half saw Argentina dominate possession, forcing Austria to defend deep and look for counter-attacking opportunities. Austria had a goal ruled out for offside early on, and their high-pressing strategy kept Argentina from fully settling into a rhythm.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made one change, bringing in Nahuel Molina, while Austria celebrated Marcel Sabitzer's 100th cap. As the second half gets underway, the big question is whether Argentina can add to their lead and whether the newly crowned record-holder, who turns 39 in two days, will add to his tally .
Source: TrendyBeatz
