1 hour ago
Key events
While we’re counting down to kick-off, I will stock nan charismatic Austria World Cup anthem, which my workfellow Daniel Harris shared pinch me. It’s an absolute bop successful fairness.
Team news
Argentina: E.Martínez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández, Almada; Messi, Lautaro Martínez.
Subs: Musso, Senesi, Tagliafico, Montiel, Paredes, Barco, Álvarez, Lo Celso, Rulli, Palacios, González, Simeone, Paz, Otamendi, Lopez.
Austria: A.Schlager; Posch, Danso, Alaba, Laimer; Seiwald, X.Schlager; Schmid, Sabitzer, Wanner; Gregoritsch.
Subs: Affengruber, Arnautović, Grillitsch, Wiegele, Pentz, Kalajdzic, Lienhart, Mwene, Chukwuemeka, Ljubicic, Wimmer, Prass, Friedl, Svoboda, Schopf.
Austria’s rivalry pinch Germany is such that they whitethorn not beryllium excessively upset if Messi scores coming … arsenic he will surpass Miroslav Klose’s World Cup scoring record. Then-again, location is simply a large German flavour to this Austrian broadside pinch Rangnick successful complaint and of people galore of their players based successful nan German Bundesliga.
Aside from conceding a sloppy extremity to tourney debutants Jordan, Austria were reasonably awesome successful their first group outing. Defeat today. however, would group up a nervy last crippled against Algeria, wherever qualification for nan knockout rounds will apt beryllium connected nan line. The 2 different Group J teams meet successful respective hours’ clip successful San Francisco.
Preamble
Hello and invited to Monday’s first deed of World Cup action. The holders are successful Texas to return connected Ralf Rangnick’s Austria successful a crippled that will astir apt determine who tops Group J. All nan attraction will beryllium connected Argentina and Lionel Messi aft his superb hat-trick successful their opener against Algeria past week. Just 1 extremity coming will mean he is retired connected his ain arsenic nan World Cup’s all-time starring scorer.
It has been a analyzable mates of weeks for Messi, whose family confirmed past Thursday that his begetter Jorge is undergoing aesculapian curen for an undisclosed illness. An Argentinian TV big resigned aft falsely reporting that Jorge, 68, had died. Messi was tearful astatine times successful nan opener successful Kansas City but he has nan chance to make much history successful Dallas today.
Austria person a legendary seasoned guardant of their ain successful Marko Arnautovic, who yet sewage connected nan scoresheet 112 minutes into their opening 3-1 triumph complete Jordan. After coming disconnected nan chair astatine half-time, nan 37-year-old had a extremity disallowed and caused an ain extremity earlier converting a precocious punishment to seal nan points.
Kick-off astatine Dallas Stadium is noon section time, 6pm BST and 3am AEST. Feel free to get successful touch pinch maine via email.
