More than 20,000 extremely loud fans on the one hand and a world footballer on the other, but no goal: In World Cup Group C, in which Argentina is in trouble early on after the sensational defeat against Saudi Arabia, neither the passionately cheered Mexicans beat nor the Poles around Robert Lewandowski from the mistake of the group favorites Kapital on the hoped-for way to the round of 16.

That was also due to the former FC Bayern top scorer on Tuesday, who missed a penalty in the 58th minute and failed to score a World Cup goal.

Tobias Rabe

Responsible editor for Sport Online.

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In Stadium 974, which is made up of exactly the same number of containers and the number of which corresponds to Qatar's international code, a hard-fought game developed, but not a high-class one.

Lewandowski couldn't get a header onto the opponent's goal (7th minute).

Mexico, who beat Germany 1-0 at the start of the 2018 World Cup, also tried it this way, but Hector Moreno headed the ball onto the net (12') while Alexis Vega's attempt at the far post (26') went wide.

Captain Lewandowski showed himself to be a motivator and gave his teammates a thumbs-up even after bad passes, but it didn't help.

When he was brought down by Moreno, according to referee Chris Beath's video images, there was a free shot from eleven yards.

But even he didn't make it into the goal;

Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made a strong save.

The next chance of a goal is on Saturday (2 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the World Cup and on ARD) against sensational winners Saudi Arabia.

Mexico, always in the round of 16 at the last seven World Cups, but also regularly failing there, will then have to deal with the disgraced Argentines at 8 p.m. (in the FAZ live ticker for the World Cup).