Argentina vs Austria

Mon Jun 22 · 12:00 PM CT

By Pablo SanchezUpdated 13d ago·2 min read

2—0

	1H	2H	FT
ARG	0	0	2
AUT	0	0	0

Lionel Messi scored twice to give Argentina a 2-0 win over Austria in Group J on June 22 in Dallas, becoming the outright all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history along the way.

Bush’s PicksPicks madeJun 25, 9:28 AM CT

-199ARG

✓

AUT+852

-199ARG -0.5

✓

AUT +0.5+203

+102Over 2.5✓Under 2.5-102

Best Bet

Argentina to win✓

Postgame

Our Argentina moneyline landed — Messi was in dominant form, the bull case on Austria's creative midfield gap without Baumgartner proved accurate, and Austria's press never rattled the favorites.

Argentina

Hat-trick Messi, a clean bill of health for the front three, and a defense that didn't concede in the opener. They're the most talented team in the group by a clear gap and they only need a draw to clinch top seed.
The hamstring is real even if it's quiet — overload it on short rest and you lose your tournament. Push too hard for first when second is already enough and the math turns ugly.

Austria

Austria is already at 92.5% to reach the Round of 32 per the market, so the pressure is off and they can play loose. Rangnick's press plus Sabitzer-Laimer behind Arnautovic is a real plan, not a hope-and-pray.
Losing Baumgartner gutted the creative half of the midfield and Ljubicic is a step down. Against a Messi who just broke the World Cup scoring record, you can't afford the talent dropoff.

Argentina set the tone early and never let it slip. A penalty fell Messi's way in the opening minutes, he fired it wide, and Austria briefly exhaled. That was the last real reprieve they got. Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute, sealed a clean-sheet 2-0 result deep into stoppage time, and the defending champions are into the Round of 32 before their final group game.

Argentina were the better team for most of this match and they didn't need much luck to show it. Thiago Almada played a cutback in the 38th minute and Messi finished first-time from inside the box — his 17th World Cup goal, moving him past Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history. The lead was comfortable, the possession was theirs, and Scaloni's side managed the game without panic.

Polymarket — Advance includes extra time & pens; spread + total settle on 90 minutes.

Kalshi — Advance includes extra time & pens; spread + total settle on 90 minutes.

Dibu Martínez made the only save that really mattered — a sharp stop on a Marcel Sabitzer free-kick in the 55th minute to hold the clean sheet. Messi put it beyond doubt at 95 minutes, finishing again to take his World Cup tally to 18. Argentina are through to the Round of 32 with a match to spare, and they did it without showing everything they have.

Austria weren't here just to make up numbers. Rangnick's press caused some early discomfort and Sabitzer carried the creative load in midfield as well as anyone could without Baumgartner. But the attacking fluency they showed against Jordan never materialized here — Wanner and Gregoritsch worked hard up front and found limited daylight against an Argentina back four that was rarely tested.

Laimer and Molina picked up yellows in the 77th minute after a heated exchange, the match's only real flash point in the second half. Austria never manufactured a genuine chance to level. They didn't collapse, but they were outclassed on the night and the final score reflected it honestly. They still have a path — they just need to take care of business in their next match.

All 3 picks landed. Our Argentina moneyline hit cleanly — Messi's form was real, Baumgartner's absence stripped Austria's midfield creativity exactly as the bull case said, and the XI was healthy enough to get the job done. The spread at -0.5 covered with a goal to spare; Argentina won by 2, and the talent gap we leaned on throughout held firm for 90-plus minutes. The under on 2.5 total goals hit with exactly 2 on the board — Austria's two-screen defensive setup kept a lid on the second half, and Argentina managed the game rather than chasing goals once they had the lead.

The market opened Argentina as a 62% favorite and the result tracked that read from the 38th minute onward. Argentina are through to the Round of 32. Austria sit at 96.55% to join them and have Jordan next on the schedule — a match they'll be expected to handle. The group picture isn't fully written, but Argentina leave Dallas in command.

Argentina

(5-0-0)

Jul 7Wvs