Lionel Messi wrote another chapter in football’s eternal history book on Saturday night as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 to complete an unbeaten group stage, while simultaneously in Kansas City, a pulsating 3-3 draw between Algeria and Ralf Rangnick’s Austria produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the entire tournament, with Riyad Mahrez’s brace and a last-gasp Saša Kalajdžić equaliser sending both sides through to the Round of 32 at the expense of Iran.

Argentina’s victory at Dallas Stadium was never seriously in doubt, though the defending champions were without their talisman for the entire first half as Lionel Scaloni rotated with an eye on the knockout rounds. Lautaro Martínez gave La Albiceleste the lead from the penalty spot after a foul in the box in the 31st minute, and Argentina controlled the contest comfortably throughout a professional first 45.

Jordan briefly threatened a famous upset when Mousa Tamari found the bottom corner to make it 2-1 after the break, becoming the first player at this tournament to breach Argentina’s defence, but the fightback lasted barely minutes before Messi introduced from the bench on the hour mark extinguished all hopes of a shock.

Twenty minutes after stepping onto the pitch, Messi received the ball just outside the penalty area, took a touch, and curled a trademark free-kick into the bottom corner to restore Argentina’s two-goal cushion and claim his 19th World Cup goal surpassing his own record and becoming the first player in the history of the men’s game to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. The milestone, secured in what may well be his final group stage appearance at a World Cup, drew an outpouring of emotion from the thousands of Argentine supporters inside the stadium and from watching fans across the world.

Argentina top Group J and will face Cape Verde in Miami on July 3.

The truly extraordinary drama of the evening, however, unfolded 800 kilometres away in Kansas City, where Algeria and Austria served up a six-goal spectacle that swung in every possible direction before ending in a result that ultimately suited both sides. Marko Arnautović opened the scoring for Rangnick’s gegenpressing side with a smart finish in the 28th minute, converting a precise long ball from David Alaba. Algeria’s response came at the stroke of half-time, when Rafik Belghali embarked on a dazzling solo run, gliding past three Austrian defenders before unleashing a ferocious strike into the top corner that had Alexander Schlager utterly helpless.

The second half brought fresh twists. Marcel Sabitzer restored Austria’s lead just after the hour with a crisp finish from Konrad Laimer’s cross, and with Algeria facing elimination, it was their captain who answered the call. Houssem Aouar split the Austrian defence with a precise through ball and Mahrez, showing every ounce of the class that defined his decade at the highest level, curled a clinical finish into the top corner with the composure of a man born for these moments. Two-all. The match seemed to be settling into a conclusion that would see both teams through, until Mahrez struck again in the 93rd minute latching onto another Aouar pass and slotting home to put Algeria ahead, appearing to have condemned Austria to elimination in the cruelest of fashions.

Then came the denouement. Deep into seven minutes of added time, with Austrian supporters already beginning to process their exit, substitute Michael Gregoritsch kept alive a desperate cross into the box and Kalajdžić, also introduced from the bench, nodded home from close range to level at 3-3. The final whistle followed almost immediately. The result, while robbing the match of a winner, served both nations perfectly Algeria advance from Group J in second place and will face Switzerland on July 2, while Austria, survivors of a night that nearly destroyed them, go on to meet Spain the same day. Iran, who needed a decisive winner from either side, are eliminated.