Scott Boland claimed a spectacular triple wicket maiden to leave Australia on the brink of a 2-0 series victory over West Indies at the Adelaide Oval.

Mitchell Starc also claimed a wicket to leave West Indies on 38-4 in their second innings and needing an improbable 459 runs to avoid defeat on Sunday.

West Indies resumed play on day three on 102-4 and got off to a poor start when shining light Tagenarine Chanderpaul (47) was run-out by Starc.

Jason Holder (0) then edged Starc behind and, while Anderson Phillip (43) and Joshua da Silva (23) put together a 60-run seventh-wicket stand, the Windies soon faded again.

The tourists reached 214, and Australia then built up a seemingly unsurmountable lead as they posted 199-6 declared in their second innings and sent their opponents back in to bat.

Usman Khawaja top-scored with 45 off 50 balls for Australia, while Marnus Labuschagne (31), Steve Smith (35) and Travis Head (38 not out) all contributed in a rapid 31-over innings from Australia.

West Indies' opening batters were 15-0 off five overs when Smith brought in Boland, who took the wicket of Kraigg Braithwaite (3) off his first ball.

Boland then trapped Shamarh Brooks (0) in front with a ball that nipped back into the right-hanger from his third delivery, before snaring Jermaine Blackwood (0) with his sixth.

Chanderpaul did not fare much better as he was dismissed for a second time in the day three overs later for 17 when caught by Alex Carey off the bowling of Starc.


Labuschagne adds further misery

West Indies are winless in their past 18 Tests against Australia since 2003 and they have not had many – if any – worse days across that run than Saturday.

They lost 10 wickets for 150 runs across two innings, either side of Australia piling another 199, with Labuschagne's 31 taking him to 502 runs from his four innings – the sixth-most scored in a two-Test series.

Boland rips through Windies

Boland famously took 6-7 against England on his Test debut in last year's Ashes and he produced a display that was equally as ruthless here.

The 33-year-old, making just his fourth Test outing, claimed 3-9 off 5.2 overs bowled and now has a bowling average 9.81 for his 21 wickets.

Nathan Lyon became the outright most prolific Test wicket-taker at the Adelaide Oval, going past Shane Warne as Australia dominated day two of the second Test against West Indies.

Lyon, who served as a groundsman at the venue before his career took off, had Jermaine Blackwood caught and bowled for three in the evening session as Australia reduced West Indies to 102-4 at stumps, a world away from Australia's 511-7 total. It gave Lyon a 57th wicket in 12 Tests in Adelaide, beating Warne's haul of 56 from 13 matches.

Michael Neser, playing just his second Test match and first since facing England in Adelaide last year, took 2-20 after drawing edges from West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks. Tagenarine Chanderpaul (47no) was the only West Indies batter to have passed 20 by the close.

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne advanced from his overnight 120 not out to 163 before edging Devon Thomas through to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.

Hometown favourite Travis Head had delighted the Adelaide crowd by reaching 114 on Thursday, and he looked set to convert that to a double century before being run out for 175 after a mix-up with Cameron Green over a second run. Head, crestfallen to miss out, could console himself with what goes down as the best score of his Test career.

In the second of two Tests, Australia look to be on track for a hefty win to match their previous victory in Perth, particularly with their bowlers already firmly on top.

Neser, a 32-year-old Queensland seamer, told Fox: "The boys set it up there with the bat. We took advantage of the night session."

He praised Lyon for going past Warne, saying: "He's been performing for many years now, so it's great to see him getting milestones. I'm sure he has many more years left in him."

Labuschagne and Head go sixth on all-time list

The partnership for Australia's fourth wicket was worth 297 runs before Labuschagne was the first to go, and only five Test pairings have put on more for any wicket at the Adelaide Oval. Labuschagne also featured in the second-highest Test partnership at the ground, putting on 361 with David Warner for Australia's second wicket against Pakistan in November 2019. The highest remains the 386 that Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke shared in against India in January 2012 – both batters making double centuries.

Chanderpaul at it again

West Indies arrived in Australia with high hopes for Test rookie Chanderpaul, son of the great Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and while the team are collectively struggling, he has proven highly capable. Scores of 51 and 45 in the first Test boded well, and he will certainly hope to post a new personal Test best on Saturday.

Former Barbados wicketkeeper-batsman turned analyst Jamal Smith believes struggling West Indies batter Nkurmah Bonner could benefit from some decisiveness at the crease.

The 35-year-old Bonner has earned plenty of accolades for gritty performances for the West Indies since making his debut against Bangladesh in 2021.  The player has, however, struggled vor vorm ov late, managing just 65 in his last 5 innings and has been hit twice off short pithed bowling in the last year.

Bonner has been ruled out of the current Test series against Australia after being struck on the back of the helmet by a Cameron Green bouncer.  Despite being allowed to continue batting for another few hours Bonner is now under the team’s concussion protocol.

In light of the latest incident, questions have been raised regarding the player susceptibility to pace bowling.

“Short bowling is simple yet complex, you are either looking to attack the ball or defend it. I think.  In simple parlance either you are hooking or you ducking.  I think either Bonner is caught between two minds,” Smith told the Mason and Guest radio program.

“…He takes his eyes off the ball.  We’ve seen him now being struck.  If we’re being honest, we can pinpoint some of the technical deficiencies our batters have,” he added.

“We can’t knock Bonner because he’s done reasonably well up until this point, but you know he’s languid, he always looks little bit slow on the ball and these hard bouncy surfaces will show that up.”

Bonner has recorded two 100s and three 50s for the West Indies in 15 matches so far.

Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head rattled off punishing centuries as Australia dominated once more against West Indies, racking up 330-3 on day one of the second Test.

Top of the ICC batting rankings, the in-form Labuschagne put on a show as he reached 120 not out, while local hero Head joined him on three figures later in the day, finishing up on 114no at stumps.

They shared in a fourth-wicket partnership worth 199 and will resume on Friday looking to bat West Indies out of the match.

For Labuschagne, a third consecutive century and 10th of his Test career was complete when he cracked a boundary square of the wicket.

He was the more watchful of the hundred-makers, with Head more up front about his intentions, getting stuck into a mostly blunt West Indies attack and reaching three figures in just 125 balls, some 61 fewer than Labuschagne needed to reach his ton.

For Head, getting the job done brought obvious relief, after he was dismissed for 99 in the first match of the series in Perth. He brought up this century with a drive through mid-off for four, removing his helmet and waving to the Adelaide Oval crowd. Born in the South Australia city, this is his home ground and the century earned him the warmest of ovations.

After making 204 and 104no in the first Test, Labuschagne again mastered the West Indies attack. He came in at number three and shared in a stand of 95 with Usman Khawaja, who fell lbw to Devon Thomas for 62 to leave Australia 129-2 during the afternoon.

That soon became 131-3 when stand-in captain Steve Smith went for a duck, caught and bowled by Jason Holder, but from that point on it was all one way in Australia's favour.

Better late than never for Thomas

At the ripe cricketing age of 33, Thomas is a Test wicket-taker for the first time. A wicketkeeper by trade, he is not wearing the gloves in this game, his Test debut. With West Indies seeking to break the second-wicket alliance, Thomas was given a try with the ball by West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and made the breakthrough.

Thomas made his international debut in the limited-overs formats all the way back in 2009, and lately he has been a familiar face in their T20I side, but this is his first opportunity in the five-day game. He was the seventh bowler used by West Indies on Thursday, finishing the day with 1-43 from nine overs.

Labuschagne does it again

Ten centuries in a batter's 30 Tests is great going by anyone's standards, so hats off to Labuschagne. Taking into account the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle back in July, Labuschagne has made tons in four of his last five innings and his average has shot up to 61.81. He is 33 runs short of reaching 3,000 Test runs, which will be a target for day two.

David Warner's manager has claimed Australia players were encouraged to tamper with the ball after a hiding at the hands of South Africa 16 months before the scandal blew up.

Australia were thrashed by an innings and 80 runs in Hobart in November 2016, after being bowled out for 85 in their first innings.

James Erskine said Warner, his client, has been unfairly treated after his part in the sandpaper scandal at Newlands in March 2018, and pointed back to the Hobart game.

Opening batter Warner was banned from elite cricket for a year and from leadership positions for life after he was deemed to have been the instigator in the plot to alter the condition of the ball in Cape Town.

However, Erskine says there was more to the episode than has thus far come to light.

He told the SEN radio network: "When the truth comes out, everyone's going to turn around and say, 'Well, why was David Warner picked upon?'.

"The truth will come out. Let me tell you. Someone will... there's lots of people. There's two cricketers who put their hands up and said, 'Why don't we all just tell the truth? They can't fire all of us.'

"That's what happened. Two senior executives were in the changing rooms in Hobart and basically were berating the team for losing to South Africa.

"Warner said we've got to reverse-swing the ball, and the only way we can reverse-swing the ball is basically by tampering with it. So they were told to do it."

Erskine did not accuse the executives of being those responsible for giving the go-ahead to tamper with the ball.

He did, however, stress the three players punished for the scandal – Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft – were far from the only people involved.

Erskine said: "You'd have to be a blind black labrador, there was far more than three people involved in this thing, they all got a canning and David Warner was completely villainised.

"He has shut up, he protected Cricket Australia, he protected his fellow players on my advice, because at the end of the day no one wanted to hear any more of it and he's got on playing cricket."

Cricket Australia has yet to comment on Erskine's latest claims.

Warner this week withdrew his appeal against a lifetime captaincy ban with Australia, saying he has no interest in "a public lynching" over his part in the controversy.

The 36-year-old, who has returned to favour since his ban, was given the chance to appeal against the decision after Cricket Australia's code of conduct changed in November, but has now confirmed he will no longer do so.

Australia have made an unexpected change for the second Test against the West Indies starting Thursday with Josh Hazlewood ruled out due to general soreness replaced by Michael Neser.

Hazlewood joins skipper Pat Cummins (quad) in missing the second Test after helping Australia to a comprehensive 164-run victory in the first Test in Perth.

Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat on Thursday for the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval which rounds out the two-game Test series, before taking on South Africa in a three-game Test series starting on Saturday 17 December.

Neser comes into the Australia side for his second Test appearance, with his only previous game coming at the same venue 12 months ago in similar circumstances with both Cummins and Hazlewood dropping out.

Uncapped tearaway Lance Morris, who was added to the Australia Test squad along with Neser earlier this week, misses out on the final XI.

"Unfortunately, Hazlewood was pulled out last night. I'm not entirely sure of his availability for South Africa," Smith said at the coin toss. "But Neser bowled really well last year so we're thrilled to have him back."

Australia had previously indicated they were optimistic Cummins would be available for the first Test against the Proteas.

The West Indies made three changes to their side, with Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and Kyle Mayers out through injury, replaced by Anderson Phillip and debutants Marquino Mindley and Devon Thomas.

West Indies are determined to keep scrapping when they face Australia in the second and final Test with both sides dealing with injury issues.

The Windies were beaten by 164 runs in the first Test in Perth and face an uphill battle to save the series in Adelaide.

Australia will be without captain Pat Cummins for the day-night Test following a quad strain he suffered in the series opener.

The hosts have opted not to risk their skipper, with a series with South Africa, who are second behind Australia in the World Test Championship standings, around the corner.

Steve Smith will deputise as captain for the finale of this series, which does not form part of the Test Championship.

The tourists will likely be without Nkrumah Bonner, who has a concussion. All-rounder Kyle Mayers will only be available as a batter because of a shoulder issue while bowler Jayden Seales has a knee problem.

Kemar Roach is also a doubt due to a hamstring concern for an attack that took only six wickets in Perth and was tormented by Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 204 and 104 in a man of the match display.

But assistant coach Roddy Eastwick wants to see more fighting spirit, which was most evident in the first Test when fast bowler Alzarri Joseph troubled Labuschange with his pace.

"You are playing the best side in the world, no doubt about that," Estwick said. "You can't go gung-ho.

"I know everyone has seen how England are playing and think that's the way to go. Well, that's the way they want to go, fine by them, but with us, we know we have to be as patient as possible.

"We are playing the best team in the world and we just want to grind and fight and stay in the fight as long as possible.

"We did that [in Perth], we want to go one step further. It's all about improving, learning and getting better. You've just got to keep fighting and scrapping with the Australians."

Scott out to bowl Windies over

Scott Boland has been called into the Australia squad in the absence of Cummins.

Boland has an incredible average of 9.55 having taken 18 wickets in three Tests in the 2021-22 Ashes series.

His last Sheffield Shield match for Victoria against South Australia at Adelaide saw him take six wickets, so hopes will be high for another impressive showing on the international scene.

Australia's Adelaide dominance

The omens for an upset win for the Windies are not good. To be frank, they're terrible.

Australia are undefeated in their last 18 men's Tests against the Windies (W14 D4), last losing to them in 2003 at St John's in Antigua; in fact, their last loss to them at home came in 1997.

In addition, Australia have won eight of their last nine men's Tests at Adelaide Oval including their last three on the bounce. They are undefeated in their last four Tests at the venue against the West Indies (W3 D1).

Australia captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the second Test against the West Indies starting Thursday in Adelaide due to a quad strain, with Scott Boland to replace him in the XI.

Cummins did not bowl in the second innings of Australia's 164-run first Test win in Perth, which concluded on Sunday, although he participated in the field on the final day, appearing laboured.

The Aussie captain attempted to complete a fitness test at training on Tuesday, but has since been ruled out.

"Team medical staff commenced Cummins' recovery in Adelaide but selectors deemed there was not sufficient time for the fast bowler to be fully fit for the match, which starts tomorrow," a Cricket Australia statement said.

Steve Smith will skipper the Australians in Cummins' absence for the second time since his leadership ban expired.

Boland comes in for his fourth Test and first since last year's Ashes, where he burst on to the scene with a scintillating 6-7 on debut at the MCG.

Australian selectors had added fast bowlers Michael Neser and Lance Morris to their initial 13-man squad for the day-night Adelaide Test, with both overlooked. Marcus Harris is the other player to miss out.

CA said Cummins is expected to be fit for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, which will commence on Saturday December 17 in Brisbane.

Australia have handed a shock call-up to uncapped WA speedster Lance Morris for the day-night second Test against the West Indies in Adelaide starting Thursday.

Morris, along with Queensland fast bowler Michael Neser, have been drafted into the 15-man Australia squad with doubts lingering over skipper Pat Cummins' availability due to a quad injury.

Cummins did not bowl in the second innings of Australia's 164-run win over the West Indies, which concluded on Sunday in Perth, but did spend time in the field and indicated he was hopeful of playing in Adelaide.

Victorian fast bowler Scott Boland, who was in Australia's initial 13-man squad, is Cummins' likely replacement should he not prove his fitness, with Morris and Neser coming in as cover.

Morris, 24, is a Test bolter, having enjoyed an excellent 2022-23 Sheffield Shield season for WA, taking a competition-high 27 wickets in five matches.

Neser, who made his Test debut against England in Adelaide last year, has taken 24 wickets in five Shield matches for Queensland.

"Michael has been with the squad on a regular basis in past seasons and was simply outstanding in Adelaide last summer," Australia selection chair George Bailey said. "He has continued to perform incredibly consistently since and will be warmly welcomed back.

"Lance is another of the outstanding young fast bowlers coming through the ranks. He has genuine pace and his ability to create opportunities for wickets is a real drawcard. It will be great experience for him to come into the environment."

Pat Cummins hopes to be fit for Australia's second Test against West Indies, after his side ran out comfortable victors in Perth on Sunday.

A devastating six-wicket performance from Nathan Lyon helped the hosts to a 164-run victory at Optus Stadium, despite a defiant half-century in defeat from Roston Chase.

Cummins elected not to bowl in the final innings after suffering a minor quad strain earlier in the Test however, sparking fears he may have to sit out their next match in Adelaide, starting on Thursday.

But the captain thinks he will be able to play, and discussed how he will measure his workload ahead of the game, plus a subsequent red-ball series with South Africa.

"I felt okay," he said. "It was more not trying to run as opposed to being restricted to run. If it got a bit tighter, I was going to have a bowl but [I'm] pretty happy I managed not to, to give myself a good chance.

"It's just a small strain. If you bowl, you make it worse and can make [recovery] longer. I'll spend the next few days rehabbing, getting it right, and I think it's a pretty good chance I'll be good for Adelaide.

"We've got five Tests and I want to make sure I'm available for all five. It's always like that. But a lot of the Test matches you leave with absolutely nothing left in the tank."

With four more matches to come this month, though, Cummins said he would leave the call in the hands of Australia's medical staff and selectors amid a series of short turnarounds.

"You don't really want to turn a one-week injury into a three or four-week injury, and potentially miss the summer," he added. "So we'll weigh all that up.

"As I said, I felt pretty comfortable out there. The physio might be less optimistic, but I think I'll be fine. I'm sure I'll have running and a bit of bowling to make sure I'm right."

Lionel Messi was liberated by winning last year's Copa America and is relishing his leading role in Argentina's World Cup bid, according to former team-mate Sergio Aguero.

Messi scored his ninth World Cup goal – and his first in a knockout tie – as Argentina claimed a 2-1 victory over Australia on Saturday, teeing up a quarter-final meeting with the Netherlands.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's strike, a trademark left-footed finish after cutting inside from the right, also saw him surpass Diego Maradona's tally of eight World Cup goals for Argentina. Only Gabriel Batistuta (10) now has more for the country.

Messi highlighted his "beautiful" bond with Argentina's supporters after the win, but Aguero believes that is a recent development, one which came about as a result of the Albiceleste ending a 28-year wait to win the Copa America last July.

"Leo is going to do everything possible to achieve the goal that we all want," the former Argentina international told ESPN. 

"Leo is happy and content. The Copa America changed his life, it gave him life. After the Copa America, he was happy again in the national team, like when we were in the under-20s.

"He lived with criticism and lost finals for a long time. The Copa America was liberating for him."

 

Prior to Argentina's triumph over hosts Brazil last year, Messi had suffered the ignominy of losing four major international finals, failing to help his team over the line at the 2014 World Cup or the 2007, 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America.

Recalling that victory in Rio de Janeiro, Aguero said Brazil – who could meet Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals – would not relish a rematch.

"If we made it to the quarter-finals, let me be excited," Aguero said. "Do you think that Brazil wants to meet Argentina in the semi-finals? 

"Brazil has just lost the Copa America final, I think they don't want that match."

Nathan Lyon has bowled Australia to a 164-run victory over the West Indies with a fourth-innings six-wicket haul in the first Test in Perth on Sunday.

The West Indies resumed at 192-3 chasing the improbable target of 498 and pushed Australia beyond drinks in the second session before Lyon claimed the final two wickets in successive balls.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins was on the field throughout the final day but did not bowl, due to a quad injury which has him in doubt for the second Test starting in Adelaide on Thursday. Cummins' absence from the attack heaped more pressure on Lyon who shouldered that burden.

Lyon finished with 6-128 from 42.5 overs in the fourth innings, getting the key breakthrough of captain Kraigg Braithwaite, after having Kyle Mayers caught at first slip by Steve Smith in the first session. Braithwaite, who reached his century late on day four, was bowled by Lyon for 110.

Jason Holder was brilliantly caught by Smith at first slip off Travis Head before Joshua De Silva edged to Usman Khawaja off Josh Hazlewood, with the tourists' resistance appearing set to wither at 233-7.

But Alzarri Joseph and Roston Chase put together a stubborn 82-run eighth-wicket partnership which ensured Australia were made to work for their victory. 

Head clean bowled Joseph, who belted three sixes in his 43, on the delivery after wicketkeeper Alex Carey dropped a tough chance, before Lyon dismissed Chase for 55 and Kemar Roach in successive balls.

Marnus Labuschagne was named Player of the Match after his scores of 204 and 104* earlier in the contest.

Lyon brings it home for Australia

Australia's all-time most productive off-spinner Lyon finished the job for the hosts with four final-day wickets and six for the fourth innings, having taken two late on the fourth day.

Lyon's five-wicket haul was the 21st of his Test career, but also his fifth in the fourth innings of a Test match, with only one of those coming before 2019.

Positives for West Indies

Not much was expected from the West Indies in this series but they can take some heart from their gallant defeat in Perth, although it leaves them 1-0 down in the two-game Test series.

The West Indies bowling left a bit to be desired but their opening batsmen did well, with Braithwaite scoring 64 and 110, while debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul impressed with 51 and 45.

Nathan Lyon has bowled Australia to a 164-run victory over the West Indies with a fourth-innings six-wicket haul in the first Test in Perth on Sunday.

The West Indies resumed at 192-3 chasing the improbable target of 498 and pushed Australia beyond drinks in the second session before Lyon claimed the final two wickets in successive balls.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins was on the field throughout the final day but did not bowl, due to a quad injury which has him in doubt for the second Test starting in Adelaide on Thursday. Cummins' absence from the attack heaped more pressure on Lyon who shouldered that burden.

Lyon finished with 6-128 from 42.5 overs in the fourth innings, getting the key breakthrough of captain Kraigg Braithwaite, after having Kyle Mayers caught at first slip by Steve Smith in the first session. Braithwaite, who reached his century late on day four, was bowled by Lyon for 110.

Jason Holder was brilliantly caught by Smith at first slip off Travis Head before Joshua De Silva edged to Usman Khawaja off Josh Hazlewood, with the tourists' resistance appearing set to wither at 233-7.

But Alzarri Joseph and Roston Chase put together a stubborn 82-run eighth-wicket partnership which ensured Australia were made to work for their victory. 

Head clean bowled Joseph, who belted three sixes in his 43, on the delivery after wicketkeeper Alex Carey dropped a tough chance, before Lyon dismissed Chase for 55 and Kemar Roach in successive balls.

Marnus Labuschagne was named Player of the Match after his scores of 204 and 104* earlier in the contest.

Lyon brings it home for Australia

Australia's all-time most productive off-spinner Lyon finished the job for the hosts with four final-day wickets and six for the fourth innings, having taken two late on the fourth day.

Lyon's five-wicket haul was the 21st of his Test career, but also his fifth in the fourth innings of a Test match, with only one of those coming before 2019.

Positives for West Indies

Not much was expected from the West Indies in this series but they can take some heart from their gallant defeat in Perth, although it leaves them 1-0 down in the two-game Test series.

The West Indies bowling left a bit to be desired but their opening batsmen did well, with Braithwaite scoring 64 and 110, while debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul impressed with 51 and 45.

Lionel Messi was motivated to become "even bigger than he is" against Australia due to a confrontation with Aziz Behich moments before his goal, according to Alexis Mac Allister.

Argentina captain Messi inspired his side to a 2-1 win in the last 16 of the World Cup on Saturday, booking a quarter-final against the Netherlands.

The legendary forward had endured a quiet start to the match, with Argentina struggling as a result, but he burst into life 10 minutes before half-time.

Messi pressed Behich in the corner of the pitch and won an Albiceleste throw-in, with the pair then tangling in a brief tussle.

Within seconds, Messi had fired a precious opener, his first World Cup knockout goal in his ninth such match.

"Leo, when these things happen, he brings out that inner fire that he has, that personality that makes him even bigger than he is," team-mate Mac Allister said. "In these kind of games, he becomes bigger.

"For us, he is the most important player. He knows it, he helps us a lot, and for us, it is a pride to be able to accompany him.

 

"We know that he always tries to give his best, but when something happens [like the confrontation] he has enough personality to get out of it, to make it work for him and start playing even better."

Messi was involved in everything Argentina did going forward, attempting six shots and creating four chances – two high marks across the match.

That made Mac Allister's job simple: give Messi the ball.

"I really enjoy playing with Messi," the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder said. "For me, he's the best player in history, in the world, and I'm proud to be next to him.

"I try to give him the ball to him, because if the ball goes through him, everything is easier. I think he's having a great World Cup and we need him a lot."

Australia's plan to foil Lionel Messi did not come off, but Garang Kuol believes the Socceroos showed in this World Cup campaign they can compete with the best around.

After losing their opening game to France, Australia responded with back-to-back 1-0 wins over Tunisia and Denmark, reaching a last-16 tie against Argentina.

Graham Arnold's side threatened an upset on Saturday, too, but eventually went down 2-1 after Messi inspired La Albiceleste to victory.

Socceroos coach Arnold said of Messi, who scored the opener: "Look, he's incredible, one of the greatest ever.

"We worked really hard to not be in awe of him, because of the great player he is, but he's remarkable.

"I had the privilege of playing against Diego Maradona and now of coaching against Lionel Messi on a few occasions.

"They're both wonderful players and Argentina should be so proud and happy they've produced players of that calibre."

Teenage winger Kuol, who at 18 became the youngest player to feature in a World Cup knockout match since Pele, could have netted a late leveller, only for Emiliano Martinez to block well.

"I was telling myself that I'd come on and score a goal, and Arnie was telling me to come on and do the same thing," Kuol said. "We had the same expectation.

"When I wasn't able to score, I was very disappointed, but we move on.

"I didn't really see much of it. I just turned around and tried to shoot. It was only when I saw the replay I could see the keeper rushed out. It's just a learning curve."

Although Australia came up short against both France and Argentina, Kuol felt their performances were evident of a narrowing gap between the Socceroos and their elite opponents.

"Yeah, 100 per cent," he said. "People think the people in Europe can fly or something, but we're all humans, we've all got two feet. It's all just about the passion and the heart."

Whether Arnold is the man to lead Australia into future meetings with Argentina and Co. remains to be seen.

"I haven't even thought about it," he said. "My contract is up and I just want to go away, have a good holiday, have a break and see what happens.

"I've worked extremely hard throughout this campaign, I did the Olympic team for nothing just to help these players come through.

"I need a break and a rest, then I'm sure I'll have good discussions with the federation."

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