Argentina reaches World Cup quarterfinals

Argentina's players leaped up and down to celebrate reaching the World Cup quarterfinals, pushing Lionel Messi into the center of a happy post-game huddle. Messi once again delivered for his nation, helping Argentina defeat Australia 2-1 on Saturday with his first World Cup knockout goal in his 1,000th game of an era-defining career. In the waning seconds of a match that was becoming tenser and tenser, Emi Martinez made a sweeping save to avert extra time and the possibility of another upset in a World Cup full of them.

Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 35th minute with a flourish of his fabled left foot. It was his third goal of the competition and ninth goal overall at the World Cup, one more than Diego Maradona. At Lusail Stadium, Argentina and the Netherlands will square off in their quarterfinal game.