Messi scores twice as Argentina defeat Austria to reach World Cup round of 32

Lionel Messi scored two goals in Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday in Texas, moving past Miroslav Klose to become the highest scorer in men’s World Cup history and confirming Argentina's place in the round of 32.

The Argentine captain opened the scoring in the 38th minute after a pass from Facundo Medina and a run by Thiago Almada that left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He added a second in injury time, converting a rebound after Julian Alvarez's effort was saved.

Messi missed an early penalty when his run-up was slow and the shot drifted wide, despite a VAR-reviewed foul on Lautaro Martinez that resulted in the spot-kick.

Austria, coached by Ralf Rangnick, were unable to create a clear scoring chance in the first half and remained largely defensive throughout the match. Their goalkeeper Alexander Schlager made a save from Alvarez but could not prevent the late goal.

After the win, Messi told reporters he was "enjoying the moment" and praised the team's performance, saying the result gave them "peace of mind for what lies ahead" and secured six points in the group stage.