Lionel Messi provides reminder of greatness with latest World Cup serving of late-match magic
ATLANTA — Forty years after Diego Maradona’s infamous Hand of God broke English hearts, Lionel Messi needed only his right foot to do it again.This time there was no controversy.No debate.
Just Messi magic.Argentina looked finished Wednesday afternoon in the World Cup semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.The reigning champs trailed England 1-0 with five minutes left and after all the extraordinary comebacks they had pulled out of their hat this tournament, it appeared for a brief moment as if they had run out of ways to save themselves.Then, the greatest player the game has ever produced did what he has always done throughout his remarkable career.
He bent the match to his will and authored another masterpiece.First came the equalizer in the 85th minute.England swarmed Messi with three defenders just outside the penalty area so he calmly slipped a pass to Enzo Fernández in space and the Argentine midfielder unleashed a thunderous strike from distance that flew past Jordan Pickford and into the left side of the net.
The goal not only sent the crowd into a frenzy, it breathed life back into Argentina.Then, two minutes into stoppage time, Messi glided toward the corner of the box before freezing his defender with a subtle feint to his favored left, then shifting onto his right foot toward the end line.He unleashed a cross that wasn’t just delivered accurately, it was surgical.
It fell upon the head of Lautaro Martínez, who sent it into the net to complete Argentina’s breathtaking 2-1 comeback and send La Albiceleste back to the World Cup final.“We have the best player in the world setting the example for all of us,” Martínez said.It was another chapter in a tournament increasingly defined by Messi’s late-game sorcery.
“The most dangerous players, when they have the ball in the final third, they can create something and that’s what Lionel [Messi] did today,” said a teary-eyed Harry Kane after the match.“That’s why he’s one of the best pl...