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FIFA World Cup roundup: Argentina beats Nigeria as both teams advance

Associated Press

Argentina beat Nigeria 3-2 in the last World Cup Group F match on Wednesday in Porto Alegre, Brazil, with Lionel Messi and Ahmed Musa scoring two goals each before Marcos Rojo kneed in the winner.

Argentina topped the group and Nigeria also advanced despite the loss, becoming the first African team in the round of 16 in Brazil.

Messi had his best match of the World Cup so far, scoring twice in the first half – the first off a rebound, the second from a free kick – to boost his tournament total to four goals.

“We played against a team that wanted to play,” Messi said. “I think we saw a good Argentina. We need to continue on this path.”

Switzerland 3, Honduras 0: Xherdan Shaqiri scored all three goals to put Switzerland into the second round with a lopsided victory over Honduras in Manaus, Brazil.

The Swiss, second in Group E, will next face Argentina on Tuesday in Sao Paulo.

Shaqiri scored his first goal in the sixth minute, added a second in the 31st and completed his hat trick in the 71st.

France 0, Ecuador 0: France topped Group E despite being held to a scoreless draw by 10-man Ecuador in Rio de Janeiro.

Ecuador was reduced to 10 men after Antonio Valencia was shown a straight red card in the 50th minute for digging his studs into the leg of French defender Lucas Digne.

France came closest to scoring when Antoine Griezmann hit the post in the 47th and then missed a string of late chances as its much-vaunted attack failed to live up to the hype.

France will face Nigeria on Monday.

Bosnia-Herzegovina 3, Iran 1: Bosnia-Herzegovina ended Iran’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages from Group F, and registered its first World Cup win in the process in Salvador, Brazil.

The Bosnians, who were already out of contention, took a commanding 2-0 lead with goals from Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic before Iran hit back in a desperate late bid to qualify for the second round.

Iran needed a win to have any chance of advancing.

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz announced after the match that he wouldn’t be renewing his contract.