New Delhi: The FIFA World Cup group stage came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday as the final Round of 32 places were confirmed after a dramatic finish in Group J. Austria and Algeria booked their places in the knockout rounds following a thrilling 3-3 draw while defending champions Argentina maintained their perfect record with another convincing victory.
The draw between Austria and Algeria produced one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament as both teams looked set to go through at different stages of the game before Sasa Kalajdzic’s stoppage-time equaliser rescued Austria and also ensured Algeria progressed as one of the best third-placed teams. The result brought Iran’s World Cup campaign to an end in heartbreaking fashion.
At the same time, Argentina completed a flawless group-stage campaign with a 3-1 victory over Jordan. Lionel Scaloni rotated his squad with nine changes after already securing top spot in Group J but Argentina still looked comfortable throughout the contest.
Messi continues to rewrite record booksThe 39-year-old Lionel Messi started on the bench before coming on in the second half and making his usual impact. The Argentina captain scored in the 80th minute to register his sixth goal of the tournament and become the first player in history to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches.
Argentina finished with three wins from three and nine points, becoming one of only three teams to enjoy a perfect group-stage record alongside France and Mexico. The defending champions will now carry plenty of confidence into the knockout rounds as they continue their title defence.
Knockout stage begins on June 29With the group stage now complete all attention shifts to the Round of 32, which begins on June 29. Here’s the complete Round of 32 fixtures list-
| Match | Date | Time (IST) |
| South Africa vs Canada | 29 June | 12:30 am |
| Brazil vs Japan | 29 June | 10:30 pm |
| Germany vs Paraguay | 30 June | 2:30 am |
| Netherlands vs Morocco | 30 June | 6:30 am |
| Ivory Coast vs Norway | 30 June | 10:30 pm |
| France vs Sweden | 1 July | 2:30 am |
| Mexico vs Ecuador | 1 July | 6:30 am |
| England vs DR Congo | 1 July | 9:30 pm |
| Belgium vs Senegal | 2 July | 1:30 am |
| USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 July | 5:30 am |
| Spain vs Austria | 3 July | 12:30 am |
| Portugal vs Croatia | 3 July | 4:30 am |
| Switzerland vs Algeria | 3 July | 8:30 am |
| Australia vs Egypt | 3 July | 11:30 pm |
| Argentina vs Cabo Verde | 4 July | 3:30 am |
| Colombia vs Ghana | 4 July | 7:00 am |