Argentina’s World Cup defense is still alive, but it took a nasty knock to the head to get there. Lionel Messi, 39 years old and still the centerpiece of this team, took a blow during that chaotic 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde. He stayed on the field for all 120 minutes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami — his home turf with Inter Miami — and even opened the scoring in the 29th minute. But the collision raised some real questions about whether he’d be ready for the round of 16.
Now it looks like he’ll be good to go. No concussion protocol drama, no surprise scratch from the lineup. Messi practiced this week and the medical staff cleared him. That’s the headline for Argentina fans heading into Tuesday’s game against Egypt in Atlanta.
Messi’s night in Miami was not exactly smooth
Argentina should have put Cape Verde away earlier. They didn’t. Lautaro Martinez scored in the second minute of extra time after Deroy Duarte forced the extra period. Then Sidny Lopes Cabral equalized again. It took an own goal from Diney in the 111th minute to finally push the defending champions through. That’s not the kind of performance that scares Egypt, but it’s also the kind of scrappy win that sometimes fuels a deep run.
The other concern from that game was Facundo Medina. He left the field with cramp, which sounds minor but got coach Lionel Scaloni’s attention. “He finished very tired because we also used him quite a bit in attack,” Scaloni said. “He ended up cramping but he’s okay.” Medina is listed as a doubt for the Egypt match, but the team hasn’t ruled him out.
Argentina’s lineup looks set — and it’s loaded with Premier League guys
Scaloni has settled into a 4-4-2 that leans hard on a Premier League spine. Emi Martinez of Aston Villa is in goal. Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez anchor the back four. Nahuel Molina and Medina (if fit) are the fullbacks. Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister run the midfield. Out wide, Rodrigo De Paul and Thiago Almada — who’s more of a No. 10 — provide width. Up top, it’s Messi and Lautaro Martinez, with Julian Alvarez stuck on the bench. That’s a deep squad, and it’s worth noting that Alvarez wanted out of Atletico Madrid this summer, but that’s a different story.
The predicted XI: Martinez; Molina, Romero, Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Almada; Messi, Martinez. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. BST on Tuesday, July 7. That’s noon Eastern, for the U.S. crowd in Atlanta.
Egypt won’t roll over. They’ve got their own threats and a defense that’s been stingy. But Argentina has Messi, and they have the experience of winning this thing two years ago. That counts for something, even if the path so far has been bumpy.
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