Nizhny Novgorod, Russia • Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates are on the verge of World Cup elimination. Croatia is moving on.
Argentina was handily beaten by Croatia 3-0, a loss that makes advancement very difficult with only one group match remaining. It was Argentina’s worst loss in group play in 60 years.
Messi, who turns 31 on Sunday, failed to get even one shot off against Croatia on Thursday, five days after he missed a penalty in the team’s opening 1-1 draw against Iceland.
Croatia frustrated Argentina throughout the match and never gave Messi space to operate.
The humiliating loss came in humiliating fashion for one of soccer’s most storied nations.
Argentina goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero miss-kicked a clearance and Croatia defender Ante Rebic recovered the ball before sending it into the net in the 53rd minute.
Luka Modric scored another with a hooking shot in the 80th and Ivan Rakitic added the third in stoppage time.
Croatia advanced to the round of 16 with six points from two games in Group D. Argentina has only one point and will next face Nigeria on Tuesday in St. Petersburg.
Argentina has won two World Cups — the last in 1986 — but has not won any major title in 25 years. It lost the World Cup final to Germany four years ago in Brazil.
It worst loss in group play came in a 6-1 defeat against Czechoslovakia in 1958.
Croatia, a 1998 World Cup semifinalist, reached the knockout stage for only the second time.
Australia gets crucial tie with Denmark
Samara, Russia • Mile Jedinak’s penalty kick gave Australia a 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday and new life at the World Cup.
Christian Eriksen scored in the opening minutes for Denmark, which has gone unbeaten in 17 straight international matches. But Jussuf Poulsen’s handball after a video review set up Jedinak’s opportunity in the 38th minute.
Going into the tournament, No. 36 Australia was the lowest-ranked team in Group C with the others all in the top 12.
With a loss to France in the opener, a defeat Thursday would have made it nearly impossible for the Socceroos to advance to the next stage. Denmark, meanwhile, won its first match against Peru.
Mbappe sends France into 2nd round with win over Peru
Yekaterinburg, Russia • Kylian Mbappe’s first World Cup goal put France into the round of 16.
The teenage forward tapped in a ball headed toward goal in the 34th minute to give France a 1-0 victory over Peru on Thursday.
At 19 years and 183 days, Mbappe became the youngest scorer in France’s World Cup history.
With two wins from two matches in Group C, France is through to the next round with a match to spare while Peru has been eliminated.
France coach Didier Deschamps made a pair of tactical adjustments after an underwhelming performance in the team’s opening win over Australia. He put Blaise Matuidi and Olivier Giroud in the starting lineup but kept his same 4-3-2-1 formation with Giroud out front.
Both used their speed and passing to expose gaps in Peru’s backline.