Jordan 1-3 Argentina: Messi sets World Cup record with seventh straight scoring game

Argentina closed out a perfect Group J campaign with a 3-1 win over debutants Jordan in Dallas, with Lionel Messi coming off the bench to set a new World Cup record. Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a curled free-kick from the edge of the box, before Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after Marcos Senesi was fouled in a goalmouth scramble following a Julian Alvarez effort that struck the crossbar.

Jordan responded after the break, substitute Mousa Al-Taamari emphatically converting Ehsan Haddad's cross in the 55th minute to briefly threaten a comeback. Lionel Scaloni had made nine changes to his starting lineup with Argentina's top spot already secured, and brought Messi on around the hour mark to give him some minutes.

Messi made the impact count, winning a free-kick at the edge of the box and then converting it himself in the 80th minute to restore Argentina's two-goal cushion. The goal was his sixth of the tournament and made him the first player in World Cup history to score in seven consecutive tournament matches.

The win confirmed Argentina finished the group stage with a 100% record and set up a last-32 meeting with Cape Verde, while Jordan's first-ever World Cup campaign came to an end.