Day 14 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup saw Lionel Messi steer Argentina into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Australia, while the Netherlands put up a fine show to oust USA 3-1.
From Messi's going past Diego Maradona's World Cup goals tally to Denzel Dumfries' historic game for the Dutchmen, By The Numbers has the best stats from the two World Cup matches played on Saturday:
9
Having now played in five World Cups, it was Lionel Messi's ninth goal in the tournament and his first in the knockout rounds. He surpasses Diego Maradona and Guillermo Stabile for second most all-time in World Cup goals for Argentina, just one behind Gabriel Batistuta.
1000
This game marked Messi's 1000th senior game of his professional career.
Scoring in his 1,000 game.
Messi things �� pic.twitter.com/bB2ireAKIT
- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 3, 2022
6
Argentina will face the Netherlands for a sixth time at a World Cup, the most notable being the 1978 encounter won as hosts. The only team Argentina has faced more in the tournament's history is Germany (7).
6
Julian Alvarez becomes only the sixth player to score in each of his first two World Cup starts for Argentina. He's the first to do so since Hernan Crespo (2006).
2
Christian Pulisic, with his second assist, joined Graham Zusi and Tab Ramos as the only USMNT players with multiple World Cup assists since 1966. Pulisic and Zusi are the only USMNT players to record multiple assists in the same World Cup -- Pulisic in 2022 and Zusi in 2014.
3
Denzel Dumfries became just one of three players to be directly involved [one goal and two assists] in 3+ goals in a World Cup match for the Netherlands after Rob Rensenbrink (1978) and Johan Cruijff (1974).
3
The USA conceded their most goals in a World Cup since 2006, when they lost 3-0 to the Czech Republic.
14
With the result, the Netherlands improve to 14-0-5 (W-L-D) under manager Louis van Gaal since he took over the team for the third time last year. Van Gaal is 8-0-3 with the Netherlands in World Cup games.
The Netherlands remain unbeaten in Louis van Gaal's current stint as manager. They have also never lost a #FIFAWorldCup match in 90 minutes under van Gaal. #NEDUSA #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/X4V5Fh7iTv
- ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) December 3, 2022
20
Memphis Depay's goal ended a sequence of 20 uninterrupted passes, the most on record for a Netherlands goal at the World Cup (1966 onwards).
(Stats courtesy: ESPN Stats and Information Group)