ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Giovani Lo Celso became the first Argentina player other than Lionel Messi to score in this World Cup as the defending champions finished the group stage with a three-game sweep after a 3-1 victory over Jordan on Saturday night.
Lo Celso, in his first World Cup start, put Argentina ahead to stay when he scored on a direct free kick in the 19th minute. Messi added one of his own after entering the game in the second half, and
the top scorer in World Cup history extended his mark to 19 goals.
Messi, the leader in this tournament with six goals, was among nine Argentina starters changed from the previous game since Group J was already clinched before the match. He entered in the 60th minute, three days after his 39th birthday, and in the same stadium where he broke the scoring mark last Monday, and scored in the 80th minute.
Their captain had scored all five of Argentina’s goals in wins over Algeria and Austria, including his first-ever World Cup hat trick and then two goals in his record-setting game on Monday. He has scored in seven consecutive World Cup games, breaking a tie with France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho for the longest all-time streak.
In the first half, Lautaro Martinez put Argentina up 2-0 when he scored on a penalty kick in the 31st minute, in the same sequence when his close-range shot ricocheted off the crossbar.
Martinez, who was subbed out for Messi, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez were the only players to start all three of Argentina's group matches.
Argentina, which has seven wins and two draws in its last nine World Cup games, plays in the round of 32 on Friday against Cape Verde, the smallest country to earn a spot in the knockout round. That game is in Miami, the home of Messi’s Major League Soccer team.
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