The defending champions started their journey in dominant fashion, beating Algeria 3-0 convincingly. Lionel Scaloni’s side once again showed their attacking depth and composure to cement their status as one of the favorites to retain the title. Captain Messi also added another milestone to his illustrious career, with his goal against Algeria bringing him level with Miroslav Klose as the top goalscorer in World Cup history.
Meanwhile, Austria will enter the match with confidence after beating World Cup newcomers Jordan 3-1 in their first game. Despite the scoreline, Ralf Rangnick’s side faced a tough test and had to dig deep to seal victory.
The history of this game is slightly biased towards Argentina. The two teams have met six times in international men’s senior football, with South America winning three and Austria twice. One meeting ended in deadlock.
Both teams have won their opening games and a further win would have ensured promotion to the knockout rounds and provided a huge boost into the final group stage games.
The game will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and is scheduled to kick off at 10:30 pm (IST) on Monday, June 22. Amin Mohamed Omar will officiate.
Fans in India can watch live on the Zee5 app and platform via subscription, while the match will also be shown live on Unite8 Sports 1 and Unite8 Sports 2, including their HD channels.
Follow our live coverage on TimesofIndia.com for more updates!
