LUSAIL, Qatar — Mexico paid the price for breaking one of soccer's golden rules: Never leave Lionel Messi by himself.
Now, El Tri's hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the World Cup are in serious peril after losing 2-0 to Argentina in a Group C game Saturday night.
Until the 64th minute, when one of the greatest players of modern times struck a low left-foot strike past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico was feeling somewhat optimistic about its night's work — despite an often dour encounter that fail to match the buoyant atmosphere at Lusail Stadium.
Argentina-Mexico highlights
Lionel Messi got going in the second half as he opened the scoring in the 64th minute. Then Enzo Fernández scored in the 87th to give Argentina a 2-0 victory.
Ochoa had earlier made a couple of fine saves, Hirving "Chucky" Lozano had come close to turning in a Hector Herrera free kick, and a point would have left El Tri with the simple equation of needing to beat Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to advance.
That is the minimum requirement now, and it still might not be enough, meaning Mexico's remarkable streak of having reached the knockout round in seven straight tournaments is threatened more severely than at any point in the past three decades.
Mexico coach Tata Martino, an Argentinian native, had vowed before the game to do "everything possible" to rack up the victory that would have eliminated his fellow countrymen … and Messi, in what is maybe his last World Cup.
In truth, however, Mexico's approach was not particularly offensive or imaginative, perhaps a byproduct of the thinking that a tie would have been a reasonable result.
Such a blueprint is fraught with danger when there is a player such as Messi on the opposing team, however, especially if defensive duties are not adhered to. Midway through the second-half, with nothing to hint it was coming, the crucial blow arrived.
Angel Di Maria made tracks on the right, and, spotting Messi unmarked in the middle, swiftly sent the ball inward. The outcome was a ruthlessly familiar one. Ochoa had no chance.
Now for the number crunching. Mexico needs help, but its plight is not impossible. Victory over the Saudis is a must. Combined that with a win for Poland over Argentina, and Martino's men advance. Either of the other possible results, an Argentina victory or a Poland/Argentina tie, and a tiebreaker would come into play, beginning with goal differential.
Lionel Messi's beautiful goal
Watch Argentina's Lionel Messi scoring a goal against Mexico in the 64th minute.
This outcome, in many ways, is not so different form the one the United States would have faced had it lost to England on Friday night.
It is also far different to what Mexico experienced in the last World Cup, when it won both of its first two games — including a famous upset of Germany — and could ultimately afford to lose to Sweden in its third.
Unsurprisingly, Mexico threw men forward late, only to find stout resistance from the Argentina backline. That additional ambition, naturally, opened up space to be exploited. In the 87th minute, Enzo Fernandez did so.
From a short corner the ball made its way to Fernandez, just 21 and part of what Argentina fans hope is a bright future post-Messi. Fernandez curled a beautiful right foot strike past Ochoa and into the top corner, to become the youngest Argentine to score in a World Cup since Messi did so as a teenager in 2006.
And, in that moment, making the goal differential permutations that Mexico must now get its head around, a little more difficult.
Thereby pushing El Tri, barring a spectacular revival in a few days' time, to the very brink of the outcome it most dreaded.
Read more from the World Cup:
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
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