Argentina have buried Saudi trauma, says match-winner Mac Allister

DOHA: Argentina's man-of-the-match Alexis Mac Allister said his team had put the trauma of their World Cup opening defeat to Saudi Arabia behind them and were cruising again as his goal against Poland on Wednesday (Nov 30) helped them into the last 16 in Qatar.

"We wanted to compensate for that defeat," Mac Allister said, after Argentina's 2-0 win against Poland enabled them to top the group with two wins and one loss, and progress into the knockout round where they will face Australia.

"In the second group game, we found the calm we needed," he said of Argentina's 2-0 win over Mexico after the Saudi loss.

"Today, it was a great team game, the best of the group, it gives us great confidence to have played well," he said minutes after the whistle blew in the Poland game.

The 23-year-old midfielder bagged Argentina's first goal one minute into the second half when he got on the end of Nahuel Molina's cross to shoot past Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

"It's so emotional for me, for the whole squad. We achieved the first goal, of coming top in the first round. It's a dream come true.

"Debuting with this team was such a pride for me, so imagine scoring a goal in a World Cup. I'm so happy, now we just have to rest and prepare for the next match."

Mac Allister said Argentina had managed to keep their poise despite a first half penalty miss by their captain Lionel Messi.

"We were always positive, we were calm. Leo's penalty didn't get us down, neither the team nor Leo," he said.