TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Argentina vs Egypt match is set to take place in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at the Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 11:00 PM, Indonesian time. The match will be broadcasted live by TVRI.
Argentina had to work hard to eliminate Cape Verde in the round of 32. The defending champions only secured a 3-2 victory after Diney Borges scored an own goal in the 111th minute, saving them from a potential penalty shootout.
The match provided Egypt with valuable insights into defense and how to throw Argentina off its game when they feel they have it under control.
Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, admitted that the 2026 World Cup will be much more challenging than many anticipated. He stated that almost all top-ranked teams have struggled against opponents who are ranked below them. "I think this World Cup is proving to be difficult for everyone. There isn't one truly dominant team," Scaloni said in a press conference as quoted from ESPN.
He pointed out the difficulties France faced against Paraguay, as well as Spain's strenuous qualification. According to him, the crowded match schedule and weather conditions have made the quality between teams more even.
Nevertheless, the match against Cape Verde showed that Argentina's issue is not only physical. Argentina initially took control of the game by taking the lead. However, instead of maintaining pressure, La Albiceleste reduced their game intensity. This allowed Cape Verde to equalize.
The same pattern repeated after Lisandro Martinez put Argentina in the lead again. As reported by Antara, Scaloni's team once again lost their aggressiveness, enabling Cape Verde to score the equalizing goal for the second time.
Scaloni had previously warned his players not to underestimate Cape Verde. This was because the African representative had previously managed to hold Spain and Uruguay to draws. However, on the field, Argentina tended to lose its vigilance when facing opponents considered to be below its level.
The same phenomenon occurred in the group stage. After keeping a clean sheet against Algeria and Austria, Argentina conceded a goal against Jordan, the lowest-ranked team in Group J. Interestingly, all three goals against Argentina in the tournament came from Jordan and Cape Verde. Conversely, they did not concede when facing supposedly stronger opponents.
On paper, Egypt is a more complete opponent compared to Cape Verde. Both teams rely on tight defensive organization or a low block and have higher individual quality through Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. Both players can turn defensive transitions into deadly counterattacks.
Egypt also has the experience of holding Belgium to a 1-1 draw in the group stage with a similar approach. If they manage to make Argentina feel in control again, like Jordan and Cape Verde, Egypt has the opportunity to exploit the same gaps.
Egypt's coach, Hossam Hassan, affirmed that his team did not come just to fill the roster. "Argentina are a great team and the defending champions, but in football nothing is impossible," said Hossam Hassan as quoted from Ahram. "We respect Argentina, but we don't fear them. We will play our own game without thinking about the name of our opponents."
Egypt has already achieved its primary goal of reaching the round of 16 in the World Cup for the first time in 92 years. Therefore, a victory over Argentina would be a significant bonus, while defeat would not be seen as a failure.
Conversely, Argentina bears significant pressure as the defending champion. The Albiceleste are expected to reach the final again and possibly even retain the title, which would make them the second country after Brazil to defend the World Cup trophy. The difference in psychological burden could be a crucial factor in the upcoming match.
Clash of the Stars
This match will also bring together two icons of world football who have never faced each other at the international level, Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah. Scaloni referred to Salah as one of the best players in the world.
However, he stressed that Argentina would not prepare a specific marking for Salah. "Salah is a great player; it will be a pleasure to face him. This team has faced great players before, and we have always taken precautions at a collective level," Scaloni said. On paper, Messi still remains the engine of Argentina's play. He has scored seven goals and created 24 chances throughout the tournament.
In the Egyptian camp, Marmoush is the main attacking creator. Meanwhile, Mo Salah has sent 16 crosses and poses the biggest threat from the right side.
The statistics of both teams also indicate that the match is expected to be closely contested. Argentina recorded 252 touches in the opponent's final third, only one touch ahead of Egypt, which recorded 251.
However, Egypt is more productive in creating chances. Egypt has created 62 chances and delivered 75 crosses. Argentina recorded 52 chances and 40 crosses.
Another factor worth noting is the physical condition. Both teams had to play for 120 minutes in the previous round. Hossam Hassan even complained about the short recovery time and the cancellation of a training session due to bad weather.
Nevertheless, Egypt may be slightly advantaged by the weather conditions in Atlanta. Most of their players compete in the domestic league and are accustomed to high temperatures, similar to the current summer weather in the United States.
Predicted Lineups
Argentina (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada.
Egypt (4-2-3-1): Mostafa Shobeir; Mohamed Hany, Ramy Fathy, Yasser Ibrahim, Rami Rabia; Emam Ashour, Marwan Lasheen; Mohamed Ateya, Ahmed "Zizo", Mohamed Salah; Omar Marmoush.
Prediction
In terms of individual quality, Argentina remains superior and deserves to be favored. Messi still remains the difference-maker who can turn a match around. He has the opportunity to tie or beat Guillermo Stabile's record as Argentina's top scorer in a single World Cup.
However, Argentina's victory does not seem to have been determined solely by Messi's brilliance. If Argentina's lack of alertness against Cape Verde happens again, Egypt has the quality to punish them.
Read: 2026 World Cup: Argentina Advances, Egypt Awaits in Round of 16
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