World Cup round of 16: Argentina vs. Australia prediction, preview and team news

Australia fans have been in party mode during the Fifa World Cup. The 1-0 win over Denmark saw the Socceroos finish second in group D behind holders France and the result sparked wild celebrations Down Under. 

When Mathew Leckie’s winner hit the net against the Danes, at around 3.30am Australian time, the goal sent thousands of supporters in Melbourne’s Federation Square into “absolute raptures”, said the Daily Mail. Flares were set alight and fans “bounced around” to celebrate the strike in “scenes of sheer pandemonium”.

The fans may be celebrating, but after the win over Tunisia in the second group game, Australia head coach Graham Arnold “got the players in a circle and told them they’d achieved nothing”, said Oliver Murray on news.com.au. Arnold was “intent on not letting his players get complacent” and “unsurprisingly” the message was exactly the same after Denmark.

Both nations have criticised Fifa’s World Cup scheduling of Saturday’s last-16 clash, with “team news expected to be affected”, said Alex Young in the London Evening Standard. Argentina take the field for the knockout game less than 48 hours after beating Poland, while the Socceroos have had a “few short hours more rest”. “How can the Fifa organisation [do this] at such a high-prestige tournament,” said Australia assistant coach Rene Meulensteen. “We’ve got almost no time to let it all sink in. It’s recovery, recovery and getting their brains ready again for that challenge.”

‘Anyone can beat anyone’

Now in the World Cup round of 16 for only the second time in their history, the Socceroos will face Argentina and their superstar captain, Lionel Messi. La Albiceleste were stunned in their opening group C match against Saudi Arabia, but 2-0 victories over Mexico and Poland saw them qualify as group winners. 

If Messi’s dream of winning the World Cup is to be kept alive, then Argentina must avoid a huge upset against Australia, said Andrew Cawthorne on Reuters. Messi and Co will be “hot favourites” on Saturday, but they more than anyone have learned “not to underestimate an underdog”, especially after suffering one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history against the Saudis.

Article source: https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/sport/football/958714/world-cup-round-of-16-argentina-vs-australia-prediction-preview