Argentina vs. Mexico LIVE: Messi scores to put Scaloni’s side ahead in the second half

Two changes for Argentina too – Exequiel Palacios for Mac Allister, and Cristian Romero for Di Maria.

Scaloni would have taken a 1-0, for sure.

Messi had been quiet, but then he roared.

You can’t give Messi that kind of space! He’s been roaming around that area for most of the second half, playing a little deeper than in the first, and it’s paid off. The charge towards the Argentina fans in the corner was probably the fastest he’s run all evening, but what a moment it was.

I was just about to post an update on how a sense of urgency had clearly settled in for Argentina. Quickly captured goal kicks, direct plays, etc. The new setting obviously worked! Messi finished the wonderful effort just as I finished writing.

As he so often does, Messi roamed in search of an opening. Tata Martino changed tactics to clog the middle of the pitch: three centre-backs, three midfielders. All it takes is one tap for him to slot an inch-perfect shot between Memo Ochoa’s covered angle and the post.

It just had to be Messi.

For a few minutes. An Argentinian colleague next to me in the press box was quite composed at first. Then he lost it. For a moment I checked to see if I had bought an audio book called How to Swear in South America. He is now banging on the desk and singing songs after that Messi goal

Messi didn’t have a great game but his touch there to set himself up was perfect, maybe the contact on the ball wasn’t 100% true but the direction was perfect and Ochoa had no chance.

63 minutes: Scratch all that!

Di Maria pass finds Messi in space 25 yards and he darts a low shot straight into the corner, out of reach of Ochoa.

Messi had been bottled up pretty well by Mexico, but it was quality.

Argentina also know they can’t take too many risks – Scaloni is unlikely to start throwing on more forwards as if they’re leaving holes at the back, and conceded a Mexico counterattack will see them out of the tournament.

Some subs are coming though… Julian Alvarez among them, will he replace Lautaro?

An hour on and Mexico are still looking remarkably comfortable – and as if they would draw 0-0, confident they can beat the Saudis in their final game to advance.

Messi continues to drop deeper and deeper to get the ball off the CBs and start moves, which continue to fizz long before closing in on the Ochoa goal.

55 mins: Di Maria comes down the side of the Mexico defense and his blistering cross causes havoc, but the oncoming Mac Allister just doesn’t make contact and the ball is hacked clear.

Better from Argentina, perhaps, as it really doesn’t look like Messi is going to open up Mexico on his own.

“MESSI! MESSI! MESSI!” Let’s just say more was expected from Messi’s free kick. The audience was ready for it. Messi is the best in the world from that range. Too bad it flew over

50 minutes: Free kick position 20 meters away, and just to the right of D, could not have been better for Messi.

He takes a deep breath, wipes sweat from his forehead and cuts the ball a meter over the crossbar.

Messi gets to run for the first time tonight, nice flick from Mac Allister and Messi is off, Gutierrez finally drags him down 20 yards, earning a yellow card.

Per Rodolfo Landeros of Fox Sports, Andres Guardado had his right quad iced when he sat on the bench after his first-half substitution.

There are no changes at the break, perhaps surprisingly, although presumably Argentina coach Scaloni will be thinking about subs soon if the form doesn’t change.