Lionel Messi scores two in Argentina's win over Nigeria

About a dozen Argentine fans couldn't get enough of the smell of victory in the Beira-Rio Stadium, dancing and singing in their seats more than an hour after their team beat Nigeria, 3-2, in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Once again Lionel Messi had put on a World Cup show with two goals, but this time his whole team -- aside from a couple of defensive blunders -- was part of the performance.

In its third straight win, Argentina attacked with more flair than previously and could have scored more goals if it weren't for some good saves by Nigeria's goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

Ahmed Musa kept things interesting by twice erasing Argentina's lead, before Marcos Rojo kneed in the winner from a corner. Both teams advanced from Group F.

"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."

Before the match Enyeama was the only goalkeeper in the tournament who hadn't conceded a goal. It took just three minutes for Messi to beat him. The Argentina captain slammed in the rebound after Angel Di Maria's shot bounced off the post.

Nigeria replied within a minute as Musa cut in from the left and beat Sergio Romero with a curling shot toward the far post.

Then just before halftime Messi stunned Enyeama again, with a long-range free kick that rose over the wall then dipped sharply to slip in just inside the post.

"Messi is from Jupiter, he is different," Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said.

Messi had his best match so far, boosting his tournament total to four goals.

The game lost intensity when Messi was substituted after the hour mark. "At 3-2 with a half-hour left, we needed to let him rest," Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said.

In the second half Musa took advantage of confusion in the Argentine defense to score his second. Then Rojo made it 3-2 as he got his right knee on a corner kick.

Bosnia ousts Iran

Bosnia-Herzegovina ended Iran's hopes of advancing to the knockout stages with a 3-1 victory in Group F in Salvador, registering its first World Cup win in the process.

The Bosnians, who were already relegated from the tournament, took a 2-0 lead with goals from Edin Dzeko in the 23rd and Miralem Pjanic in the 53rd before Iran hit back with a goal from Reza Ghoochannej, but Avdija Vrsaljevic replied immediately. -- AP