What a difference (just over) a week makes! Eight days ago, Argentina were stunned as they lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in one of the biggest World Cup shocks of all time; now, they're into the last 16 as Group C winners – following a comfortable 2-0 win over Poland, who scraped through on goal difference.
Second-half strikes from Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister and Manchester City's Julian Alvarez saw Lionel Scaloni's side secure top spot – after Lionel Messi's first-half penalty was saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
The Albiceleste go through to face Australia, who finished as runners-up in Group D behind reigning world champions France. Poland take on the French.
But the two-time winners' completion of their recovery from such a disastrous start to the tournament was just one story from a tense final night in Group C – which began with all four teams still in contention to reach the knockout stages.
With Poland 2-0 down, and Mexico 2-0 up against Saudi Arabia in the other game in the group, the Poles were heading through in second place only by virtue of their better disciplinary record (they had picked up two fewer yellow cards than Mexico).
And Poland certainly rode their luck, seeing Argentina waste two great opportunities to make it 3-0.
Robert Lewandowski and co. managed to escape with a 2-0 defeat, which, as things stood, was taking them through – but there were still several minutes of stoppage time to play in Saudi Arabia vs Mexico.
A third goal for Mexico would have taken them through at Poland's expense on goal difference – but that wasn't a possibility for long: in the sixth minute of time added on, Salem Al-Dawsari – who scored the Saudis' historic winner against Argentina – bagged a consolation to extinguish Mexican hopes.
Saudi Arabia's impact on Qatar 2022 will be remembered for years to come, but they ultimately finished bottom of the group, succumbing to a fifth successive group stage exit.
As for Mexico, they fell at the first hurdle for the first time in nine World Cup appearances.
