Argentina finally brushed aside the nightmarish start to the FIFA World Cup, where they went down to Saudi Arabia in the opener, and came back to winning ways in the all-important clash against Mexico, thanks to the football wizard Lionel Messi's 64th minute goal.
Messi broke the deadlock in the second-half before Enzo Fernandez put Mexico to sleep 2-0 at the Lusail Stadium to help Argentina jump to second position in Group C table with three points on Saturday in order to stay alive in the tournament.
Messi heaved a sigh in relief after the match and said," It is a weight off our shoulders. We have peace of mind and it is back in our hands again."
"I think the first half was difficult due to the situation and our need to win," Messi added. "We could not find space. We were not moving the ball from side to side.
"But in the second half we started doing what we stand for. We started to find space between the lines and then the goal changed the game.
"We needed to win but the game had to be played this way. We had to win to give everyone peace of mind and to be able to approach the Poland game in a different way," he further added.
Messi took a touch from Angel Di Maria's pass across the face of the area and drove a low shot from 25 meters (yards) into the bottom corner in the 64th minute.
He ran towards Argentina's fans with his arms outstretched before getting mobbed by his jubilant teammates. He looked emotional as he grabbed and shook his jersey, then blew a kiss to the crowd before whirling his arms.
Substitute Enzo Fernandez added a second goal in the 87th minute.
The 35-year-old Messi is likely playing in his last World Cup, which is the only major title missing from his collection.
Meanwhile, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had no qualms in accepting that his side was under immense pressure after losing to Saudi Arabia in their opening match. He pointed out that Argentina players were overwhelmed as the win over Mexico was no less than a relief.
"We should have more common sense. It is just a football game. It is not good, the feeling that you are playing something more than a football match. It is not nice," Scaloni said.
"The feeling that we all had was relief (but) we need to make some adjustments. We must try to make the players feel that this is a football game because otherwise every time we need to play a match, or to go to a knockout stage, go through a tournament or whatever, it will be always like this with Argentina.
"Of course it is difficult to make people understand that tomorrow the sun will shine whether you lose or you win. And that the important thing is how you did things, if you did it in the best possible way. That is what we always try to do," he further added.
It was an eighth World Cup goal for Messi — the same number scored in the tournament by rival Cristiano Ronaldo and also Diego Maradona, the Argentina great with whom he is so often compared.
For some, Messi needs to win the World Cup to join the ranks of Pele and Maradona as soccer's greatest ever players. Thanks to this win, it could still happen.
