Argentina continued their strong FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over Austria in a Group J clash. The reigning world champions controlled large portions of the match and secured three important points thanks to a brace from Lionel Messi.
The result moves Argentina to the top of the Group J standings with a perfect record after two matches, while Austria remain in second place despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament.
Full-Time Result
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 2 |
| Austria | 0 |
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026
Stage: Group Stage – Group J
Result: Argentina 2-0 Austria
Goal Scorers
Argentina found the breakthrough in the first half and added another goal late in stoppage time.
| Minute | Scorer |
|---|---|
| 38′ | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 90+5′ | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
Messi once again proved to be the difference-maker, scoring both goals and leading Argentina to another valuable victory.
Match Statistics
The statistics highlight Argentina’s control throughout the contest.
| Stat | Argentina | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 12 | 6 |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 1 |
| Possession | 54% | 46% |
| Passes | 538 | 440 |
| Pass Accuracy | 90% | 87% |
| Fouls | 13 | 12 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 0 |
| Corners | 1 | 3 |
Argentina enjoyed slightly more possession and completed nearly 100 more passes than Austria. Their defensive organization also limited Austria to just one shot on target across the match.
Group J Standings After the Match
Following the result, Argentina strengthened their position at the top of the group.
| Position | Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| 2 | Austria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Jordan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Algeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
Argentina have now scored five goals and conceded none in their opening two matches, giving them a healthy goal difference advantage at the summit of Group J.
Match Summary
Argentina delivered another professional performance to maintain their perfect start in Group J. The South American side created more opportunities, controlled possession for long periods, and looked comfortable defensively.
Austria remained competitive and attempted to stay in the contest, but Argentina’s quality in key moments proved decisive. Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute before sealing the victory with a second goal deep into stoppage time.
The win places Argentina in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stage, while Austria will look to bounce back in their remaining group fixtures. With six points from two matches and a +5 goal difference, Argentina currently lead Group J and have taken a major step toward securing their place in the next round of the FIFA World Cup 2026.