The FIFA World Cup is always full of surprises and shocking upsets, andnaturally, the Qatar 2022 edition hasn’t been the exception to that rule. Besides Japan’s shocking win over Germany, Saudi Arabia’s epic comeback vs. Argentina made the history books.
Lionel Messi’s team hadn’t lost in 36 games and were pretty close to setting a mark. But records are meant to be broken, and the Saudi’s played a nearly-perfect game to pull off one of the biggest wins in the Islamic nation’s history.
On the flip side, Argentina’s margin for error is now pretty much close to zero. They cannot afford another setback if they intend to put an end to their title drought and win their very first World Cup since Diego Maradona led them to the ultimate glory backin 1986.
Qatar 2022: Can Argentina Qualify To The Knockout Stage Without Winning A Game?
The worst and most worrisome part about that shocking loss is that Argentina shares the group with Poland and Mexico, two teams that might as well make it past the knockout stage. So, this left us wondering: Can Argentina qualify for the next stage without winning a game?
The simple and short answer is yes, but it’ll require some special scenarios. They’ll need to draw against Poland and Mexico and hope that Saudi Arabia wins both games by at least a couple of goals.
That way, Saudi Arabia would lead the group with 9 points, while Poland, Argentina, and Mexico would all be tied with 2 points. There, only goal difference could help the Albiceleste get the nod.
So, while the chances are pretty slim and close to zero, it’s still a possibility. Even so, they won’t want to leave anything to chance and will fight with bones and nails to try and win their next two games.