Argentina begins World Cup campaign
Argentina, the defending champions, commenced their World Cup 2026 journey against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium, now known as Kansas City Stadium for the tournament. The atmosphere was vibrant, with many fans in attendance sporting the Albiceleste colours. Officials for the match included Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, who previously officiated the 2022 World Cup final and the 2023 Champions League final.
The match saw Lionel Messi, making a record sixth World Cup appearance, lead Argentina. He was joined in attack by Lautaro Martinez, while Julian Alvarez was on the bench. Facundo Medina stepped in at left-back due to Nicolas Tagliafico’s calf injury. For Algeria, Anis Hadj Moussa started, with Riyad Mahrez among the substitutes.
Early in the game, Messi found the net within five minutes, but the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside. Argentina maintained a compact structure in their build-up play, focusing on quick, tight passes to try and break down Algeria’s defence. Despite their dominance in possession, clear-cut chances were not abundant in the initial stages of the match.
Key moments and disallowed goals
Algeria also had an early goal disallowed. Fares Chaibi’s strike, which deceived Luca Zidane, was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. This added to the early drama of the match, with both sides having goals scrubbed off the scoreboard due to tight offside calls.
Messi eventually scored, unleashing a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area that curled into the top-right corner, giving Argentina a 1-0 lead. This marked his 14th World Cup goal, making him Argentina’s youngest and oldest goalscorer in the tournament’s history. The goal came after Argentina displayed technical excellence and individual brilliance, with Messi dropping deep to initiate moves and then finding space between the lines.
Algeria’s goalkeeper, Luca Zidane, son of Zinedine Zidane, started the match wearing a protective face mask due to a fractured jaw and chin sustained in April. He committed to Algeria’s senior team last year after playing for France at age-group level. He made several saves throughout the match, including repelling an angled drive from Amine Gouiri.
Match dynamics and player performances
Argentina showcased their pass-and-move, one-touch football, often spreading the field when the ball was with E Martinez. Their composure in tight areas and confidence in collective technical ability were notable, making it difficult for Algeria to get near the ball for extended periods. Thiago Almada was active, attempting a shot that went over the bar and tracking back effectively to defend.
Algeria, despite facing a strong Argentinian side, managed to create some attacking opportunities. Hadj Moussa made a cross-shot that nearly resulted in a goal for Gouiri. Ibrahim Maza, a 20-year-old playmaker, demonstrated skill in midfield, weaving past Alexis Mac Allister and initiating attacks for Algeria. The North African team adopted a deep low block defensively, wary of pressing too high against the defending champions.
Messi’s goal secured a 1-0 lead for Argentina after 35 minutes. He also joined Cristiano Ronaldo as one of only two players to score in five different World Cups. The match continued with Argentina looking to build on their lead, while Algeria sought to find an equaliser. The first half concluded with Argentina leading 1-0.
The Kansas City Stadium, typically home to the Kansas City Chiefs, hosted the match, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany delivering the match ball before kickoff. Mahomes is currently recovering from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, which he suffered in December.
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Source: theguardian.com
