FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi stars in Argentina win over Mexico to revive World Cup campaign

Messi was lackluster in the first 60 minutes, but he capitalised on Angel di Maria's assist to score a stunner with his left foot to break the deadlock. Substitute Fernandez then sent a brilliant shot into the top corner in the 87th minute.

The result has put Argentina back in contention in Group C after their shock opening 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia. They will advance to the round of 16 if they beat Poland, who are top with four points, on Wednesday.

The tension brewing around Argentina battling the possibility of being eliminated led to a scrappy first half. The opening minutes were tedious as neither side wanted to send their players forward.

As a result, there were few chances in the first half except for a ninth-minute free kick by Mexico's Luis Chavez that shot past the goalmouth. Mexico derailed their opponent's attack, and Argentina captain Messi lacked practical ideas in a crowded midfield. 

Argentina had nothing to offer except a failed attempt by Lautaro Martinez that was off target and one more fruitless shot from Messi. On the other hand, Mexico had to part ways with skipper Andres Guardado as he sustained an injury in the 42nd minute. 

He is a veteran of five World Cups and a key figure in the midfield, so the departure came as a blow to Mexico. However, they still created more chances before the break as Alexis Vega came close to causing problems from a free kick and then sent the ball over the bar seven minutes later. 

The South Americans improved after the break but were poor in creating chances until their 35-year-old skipper slotted a much-needed goal for Argentina. 

The crowd was elated to witness Messi's second tournament goal and were excited once again when Fernandez's late strike doubled their lead. 

Argentina secured their first win in the tournament and revived Messi's hope of a World Cup victory.

How are Argentina faring in Group C?

Argentina have increased their chances of qualifying with their first three points, while Mexico, who have now lost all four of their World Cup matches against Argentina, have one and must beat Saudi Arabia to continue any further.

Lionel Messi led his team to a resounding victory after a dreadful start to the World Cup that saw them throwing away a lead in their first World Cup match, suffering a 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia. 

Messi, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, fought through the embarrassment of Argentina's defeat and resurfaced from a highly dispiriting incident for the team. 

However, Argentina are not foreign to unexpected first-game defeats. In 1990, they lost to Cameroon, creating history in one of the most significant shocks in the World Cup. 

However, they reached the final that year before losing to West Germany. To recreate a similar run, they need to overcome unbeaten Poland in their next match on December 1.

Here is the updated points table for Group C. 

Position	Team	Matches played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points
1	Poland	2	1	0	1	4
2	Argentina	2	1	1	0	3
3	Saudi Arabia	2	1	1	0	3
4	Mexico	2	0	1	1	1