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Lionel Messi instructed his Argentina teammates there are “no excuses” for his or her shock defeat to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Argentina slipped to a 2-1 loss at Lusail Stadium regardless of main within the first half by way of Messi’s Tenth-minute penalty.
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The end result will go down as one of many best upsets within the historical past of the World Cup, however Messi insisted there’s a means again for his group — one of many pre-tournament favourites — if they will cope with the setback.
“It’s a very arduous blow for everybody, we didn’t anticipate to begin this manner,” Messi mentioned. “Issues occur for a cause. Now we have to organize for what’s coming, now we have to win, and it relies on us.
“There aren’t any excuses. We’re going to be extra united than ever. This group is powerful, and now we have proven it. It’s a scenario that we’ve not gone by way of in a very long time. Now now we have to point out that this can be a actual group.”
Saudi Arabia supervisor Herve Renard urged afterwards that Argentina — 48 locations above his group on this planet rankings — might need lacked motivation.
– Argentina’s loss joins listing of World Cup’s greatest upsets
Messi, nonetheless, insisted they’d not taken their opponents calmly and instructed followers who’ve travelled to Qatar of their hundreds that they may flip their World Cup marketing campaign round once they face Mexico and Poland.
“My message to the supporters is to have religion,” Messi added. “We can’t depart them stranded.
“We knew that Saudi Arabia is a group with good gamers, that they transfer the ball nicely and that they push the [defensive] line so much. We labored on it, however we rushed a bit. Now we have to return to the bottom of who we’re. Now we have to consider what’s subsequent.”
Argentina arrived in Qatar because the reigning Copa America champions and on the again of a 36-match unbeaten run — they’d have equalled Italy because the nationwide group with the longest unbeaten run in historical past by avoiding defeat on Tuesday.
Coach Lionel Scaloni admitted afterward that the defeat was “tough to soak up” however issued a promise that his group would nonetheless qualify from Group C.
“They scored two objectives of their solely two pictures on aim,” Scaloni mentioned.
“Now we have to stand up. It is a unhappy day at this time, however we have to have our heads up and proceed. We’re damage, however we have to flip issues round and win our subsequent video games.
“We proceed to imagine the identical as we did earlier than. The World Cup has this, you might be infinitely superior, and issues do not go your means.
“It is by no means good to lose. We got here into the World Cup in the absolute best means, on run. We knew that it might finally finish.
“Happily, now we have two group video games, and we’re going to get it executed.”
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