World champions Argentina lead Algeria 1-0 at half-time in 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J. As expected, captain Lionel Messi left his mark on the match at Arrowhead Stadium.
Algeria found the net in the 8th minute through Farès Chaïbi, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Argentina took control after that and went ahead in the 17th minute: from a Rodrigo de Paul assist, Messi finished to make it 1-0 and stamp his name on the game.
The statistics pointed to a balanced first half tilted Argentina's way. Lionel Scaloni's side had 56% possession and four shots, while Algeria replied with three. Argentina also edged the expected goals (xG) at 0.14. Vladimir Petković's Algeria threatened at times in attack but struggled to break down the Argentine defence.
In the second half of a match refereed by Poland's Szymon Marciniak, Argentina are expected to protect their lead while Algeria step up the pressure for an equaliser. Messi's form and Algeria's attacking quality are among the biggest talking points for the final 45 minutes.
Image: la-lista.com
Tuna Başkan
Discuss this in Forum
Join the conversation with thousands of sports fans. Share your opinion, predict the results, and earn reputation points!
forum Comments (0)
No results found
