ARLINGTON, Texas — Lionel Messi set a new World Cup scoring mark Monday, netting his 17th goal in the tournament during defending champion Argentina’s match against Austria, roughly 30 minutes after failing to convert a penalty.
The historic strike put Argentina ahead 1-0 in the 38th minute, arriving just two days before Messi’s 39th birthday and as he dealt with concern over his father’s health back home. It also marked the sixth straight World Cup match in which Messi has found the net.
Messi had drawn level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose at 16 World Cup goals last Tuesday night in Kansas City, scoring his first career hat trick in the competition as Argentina opened Group J with a 3-0 victory over Algeria.
He had an early opportunity to claim the record outright Monday, but his ninth-minute penalty attempt went off target.
The left-footed effort drifted narrowly wide of the right post. Messi is now 4-for-7 on penalties taken during regulation at the World Cup, with misses in three consecutive editions of the tournament.
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The penalty was awarded after Lautaro Martinez broke into space inside the area and was challenged from behind by Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch, who was playing despite a broken jaw. Schlager made contact with the ball, but Posch was penalized because he did not, as Martinez went down in the box.
The match continued for more than a minute while Martinez remained on the turf near goal. Once play was halted to attend to him, officials reviewed the sequence.
Messi’s hat trick in the previous match came in his 200th appearance for Argentina, exactly 20 years after his World Cup debut, a game in which he also scored. He is appearing in his sixth World Cup, and Monday’s match was his FIFA-record 28th in the tournament.
Klose played in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.
Messi’s father has been undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, the family said in a statement last week while not providing any specifics.
The 68-year-old Jorge Messi has played a key role in his third son’s soccer career, acting as his agent and managing his business affairs off the field.
Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal against Algeria, and said after that match his tears came following some tough days not related to soccer.
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