After a shaky start to their 2019 Copa America tournament, many wondered if Argentina and star player Leo Messi would even make the quarter-finals of the competition. They didn’t make it easy on themselves, but a 2-0 win on Sunday over Qatar qualified the Albiceleste for the knockout stage of the tournament.
It was the perfect birthday present for Messi, who turned 32-years-old on Monday.
Argentina took an early 1-0 lead that gave them a sense of confidence and tranquility after Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring with a 4th minute goal against Qatar, a team that was invited to participate in the tournament in preparation for their hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Albiceleste weren’t entirely comfortable with their position during most of the game, however, as they were unable to double their lead until Manchester City striker Sergio Agüero put the nail in the coffin with a goal in the 82nd minute.
While it might’ve been ugly, Argentina will live to see another day. They’ll take on Venezuela, the surprising 2nd place finishers in Group A, in a knockout match on Friday afternoon in Rio de Janeiro.
For a team that hasn’t won a trophy since 1993, Sunday’s result couldn’t have been better. A lot of work remains for Argentina if they want to lift the Copa America trophy, but they’re closer to their goal now than they’ve been in some time.
