The squad led by Lionel Messi will aim to defeat the Socceroos and prove it remains a serious title contender.
The Qatar World Cup 2022 has moved into the decisive phase, and one of the Round of 16 fixtures features the South American champions Argentina clashing with Australia at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
The team captained by Lionel Messi sits on top of Group C with six points, after an opener defeat to Saudi Arabia (1-2) and a loss to Mexico (2-0), followed by a victory over Poland (2-0). The Socceroos finished second in Group D with six points, collecting wins over Tunisia (1-0) and Denmark (1-0) after an opening defeat to France (4-1). The winner of this match will advance to face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between the Netherlands and the United States.
Previous background:
- This is the first meeting between Argentina and Australia since a September 2007 friendly, won 1-0 by Argentina via Martin Demichelis. It will be their first World Cup meeting.
- Australia’s lone win in seven meetings with Argentina (D1 L5) came in July 1988 at the Australian Bicentenary Gold Cup, a 4–1 victory featuring goals from Paul Wade, Charlie Yankos (two) and Vlado Bozinoski. Current manager Graham Arnold also played for the Socceroos in that match.
- Australia will be facing a South American rival for the fifth time at a World Cup, with the Socceroos lacking a win in the previous four meetings (D1 L3). Argentina’s only prior encounters with an oceanic nation have been against Australia, all non-World Cup meetings in seven fixtures.
- Argentina were eliminated in the Round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, losing to eventual champions France. They have not been knocked out in back-to-back World Cups in the Round of 16 since the competition introduced it in 1986, with the last back-to-back Round of 16 exits occurring in 1958 and 1962 (both group-stage eliminations).
- Australia reached the knockout stage for the second time, previously in 2006 under Guus Hiddink, where they were beaten 1–0 by Italy in the Round of 16 thanks to a late Francesco Totti penalty.
- Australia have won their last two World Cup games, matching their total across the first 17 matches of the tournament era (D4 L11). They began scoring in all three of their 2022 tournament matches, a feat only accomplished twice before in 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
- Argentina have conceded just 11 shots in their three 2022 World Cup games, the fewest allowed by any team in the group stage of the tournament since data collection began in 1966.
- Messi is aiming to score in the knockout phase for Argentina in this World Cup; his eight goals all came in the group stage. He has 23 knockout-phase goals across previous editions, but has yet to score in the Round of 16, though he has provided assists in this round in 2010, 2014 and 2018, making him the only player to assist in the Round of 16 in three straight World Cups.
- Matthew Leckie contributed to two of Australia’s three goals at the 2022 World Cup, including one goal and one assist. He stands as one of only three players to both score and assist in the same World Cup for Australia, alongside Tim Cahill and John Aloisi in prior campaigns.
- Messi created five chances in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Poland, bringing his World Cup tally to 63. Since 1966, only Diego Armando Maradona (67) has generated more chances for Argentina at the World Cup.
Viewers could watch the match live on Chilevisión and Channel 13 on free-to-air TV, with digital feeds available as well. DirecTV offered streaming through DirecTV GO to broadcast all matches.
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CHV signals by cable operator (11 by open TV):
- VTR: 21 (SD in Santiago) – 711 (HD)
- DIRECTV: 151 (SD) – 1151 (HD)
- ENTEL: 66 (HD)
- DELETE: 55 (SD)
- GTD/TELSUR: 27 (SD)
- MOVISTAR: 121 (SD) – 811 (HD)
- YOU SEE: 57 (SD)
- ZAPPING: 21 (HD)
Channel 13 signals (13 on open TV):
- VTR 22 (SD) – 713 (HD)
- DIRECTV: 152 (SD) – 1152 (HD)
- ENTEL: 67 (HD)
- BRIGHT: 56 (SD) – 556 (HD)
- MOVISTAR: 122 (SD) – 813 (HD)
- YOU SEE: 58 (HD)
- ZAPPING: 22 (HD)
DTV signals:
DirecTV Sports: 610 (SD) – 1610 (HD)
DirecTV Sports: 611 (SD)
DirecTV Sports 2: 612 (SD) – 1612 (HD)
DirecTV Sports+: 613 (SD) – 1613 (HD)
Source: Goal