AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi scored his first goal in a World Cup knockout round on his 1,000th career appearance to beat Diego Maradona's tournament tally for Argentina as they beat off a late Australia fightback to win 2-1 on Saturday and reach the quarter-finals.
Messi put Argentina ahead after 35 minutes with a coolly taken strike low into the corner for his 94th international goal to pass the great Maradona's eight World Cup goals, in a match where he was instrumental in almost every Argentine attack.
Lifted throughout by rapturous, overwhelmingly Argentine support that sang and bounced in unison on all sides of the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Argentina pressed and finally made the breakthrough.
After Goodwin's deflected shot found the net, there was a real prospect of extra time in a stadium where the Socceroos had booked their World Cup place via a penalty shootout in an intercontinental playoff earlier this year.
Argentina looked dangerous late on as they battled for a third goal, with Lautaro Martinez firing wide before substitute Garang Kuol missed with seconds left in stoppage time.