NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Another day, more superstars shining at the World Cup.
Lionel Messi set a world record with his two goals, but two of the game’s best strikers scored two of their own. Kylian Mbappé, who could one day break Messi’s record of 18 World Cup goals, scored twice for France against Iraq, and then Erling Haaland scored twice for Norway against Senegal.
Here the best of Monday, June 22 at the FIFA World Cup.
Argentina vs. Austria
- Lionel Messi has become the first man to score 17 goals in World Cup history.
- Messi has taken (seven) and missed (three) the most penalties in World Cup history. This was her first miss that she didn’t hit and wasn’t saved.
- Messi has also become the third player to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining Just Fontaine (France) and Jairzinho (Brazil).
- Messi surpassed Klose in another record with Argentina’s victory: he has now won 18 World Cup matches in his career, surpassing Klose, who has 17.
- Messi became the fourth man to score five goals in his first two World Cup games, after Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) in 1954 (seven), Just Fontaine (France) in 1958 (five) and Harry Kane (England) in 2018 (five).
France against Iraq
- Kylian Mbappé scored two goals, bringing his total to 16 career World Cup goals. He is now tied with Miroslav Klose for second place in men’s World Cup history behind Messi.
- Mbappé has six multi-goal games in the World Cup, extending his record to the most in history.
- Mbappé became the fourth-youngest European player to reach 100 caps for the national team, behind Sergio Ramos (Spain), Lukas Podolski (Germany) and Kristen Viikmäe (Estonia).
- Iraq remains winless in the World Cup with a record of 0-0-5 (WDL). In those games he has been outscored 11-2.
- France has won its first two group matches in each of the last four World Cups.
Norway vs. Senegal
- Erling Haaland scores his third goal of the World Cup. He now has 59 goals in 52 games for Norway.
- Haaland has scored in his last 12 competitive games for Norway and has scored at least one goal in 18 of his last 21 competitive games for the national team.
- Haaland is the sixth player to score more than one goal in each of the first two appearances of his career at a World Cup, and only the second to do so in the last 50 years (Englishman Harry Kane in 2018).
- This was only the third time Senegal had conceded three goals in a World Cup match.
- Ismaïla Sarr already has 20 goals in her career with Senegal. These were his first two in the World Cup.
Jordan vs. Algeria
- Algeria achieves its first World Cup victory in exactly 12 years. Their last victory in a World Cup was on June 22, 2014, against South Korea.
- Nizar Al-Rashdan gave Jordan its first lead in a World Cup match.
- Algeria has conceded the first goal in nine of its last 12 World Cup matches.
- Riyadh Mahrez played his first World Cup as a starter since June 17, 2014.
THE BEST OF THE DAY
Time(s) of the day
Messi entered Monday’s game against Austria tied with former Germany forward Miroslav Klose with 16 goals as the all-time leader in goals in the men’s World Cup. He had a golden opportunity to pass Klose, but his penalty kick went wide in the ninth minute.
However, in the 38th minute, Messi got his goal.
Left back Facundo Medina made a low cross near the penalty spot. Argentine winger Thiago Almada let the pass slip under his legs to an approaching Messi, who fired a left-footed shot past Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.
An extra moment of the day: Norway’s celebrations after their victory over Senegal.
Norwegians have become famous for rowing around the northeast. The team did what its fans did on the field after the victory.
Goal of the day
If this is Messi’s last World Cup and Mbappé maintains his current pace, he will one day be the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappé showed why early in France’s victory over Iraq. He got the ball on the right side of teammate Michael Olise’s 18-yard box, put it on his weaker left foot for a wonder goal, his third of the tournament.
The France captain came into the tournament after a difficult season with Real Madrid, but is once again showing why he is one of the best players in the world, for one of the best teams in the World Cup.
Assistance of the day
Erling Haaland did not even reach five touches in the first half. Senegal contained the star scorer, who was unable to connect with Norwegian captain and playmaker Martin Odegaard.
It took a few minutes in the second half for that to change. Odegaard collected the ball in midfield and slipped a perfect pass into the path of Haaland which Kalidou Koulibaly narrowly missed in his sliding tackle.
From there, the end was inevitable.
Salvation of the day
Senegal were under great pressure in the first half against Norway, who were creating opportunities and looked threatening going forward.
The best opportunity fell to Norwegian captain Martin Ødegaard, who fired quickly. Mendy, however, was quick to close down Ødegaard and take away the space he had. The former Chelsea goalkeeper grew big and blocked the shot with his left leg.
