Argentina and Egypt have never played each other in a World Cup. That changes Tuesday night in Atlanta, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The defending champions are coming off a grueling 120-minute slog against Cape Verde, a game nobody expected to be that close. Argentina barely escaped with a 3-2 win, and now they’ve got just a few days to recover before facing an Egypt side that knows how to grind out results.
The Messi question
Lionel Messi turns 39 next week. He played every second of that extra-time thriller against Cape Verde, and the big question is whether he can do it again so soon. The team hasn’t said much about his condition, but you don’t need a medical degree to wonder if that much playing time at his age is sustainable over back-to-back knockout games.
Manager Lionel Scaloni has other injury headaches too. Left-back Facundo Medina picked up a knock in the last match and is reportedly doubtful. Nicolas Tagliafico would likely step in. Winger Nico Gonzalez is also questionable with an ankle issue that’s been bothering him for a while.
There’s also talk of Scaloni making tactical changes. Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada have been off form lately, so they could drop to the bench as Argentina looks to freshen things up. No official word yet, but the lineup will tell us a lot.
Egypt’s survival mode
Egypt’s situation might actually be worse. They also went 120 minutes against Australia, needing penalties to advance. But more importantly, they’re absolutely shredded at left back. Ahmed Fatouh and Ahmed El Fotouh are both out with muscle tears. Backup Karim Hafez is a major doubt with a strain. That’s three left backs unavailable, which forces Hossam Hassan into a defensive reshuffle he probably didn’t want.
Center-back Mohamed Abdelmonem is nursing an ankle issue too. He’ll need a late fitness test to see if he can go.
On the bright side, midfielder Mohanad Lasheen is back from suspension and should slot straight into the starting eleven. And Mohamed Salah, despite playing the full 120 minutes with a minor hamstring problem, is expected to lead the line. He’s not 100%, but he’s Salah. You take him at 80% most days.
What history tells us
Argentina has been nearly perfect in this tournament. Three wins in the group stage, 2.7 goals per game, only one goal conceded. It all looked smooth until Cape Verde nearly pulled off the upset of the tournament. That game exposed some cracks — fatigue, maybe a bit of complacency — but it also showed they can win ugly.
Egypt, meanwhile, is in the knockout rounds for the first time ever. They got here by being disciplined and compact. One win, two draws in the group stage, then that penalty shootout win over Australia after a 1-1 draw where they had to come back from an own goal. They know how to absorb pressure and strike when it matters.
This feels like a game where the first goal decides everything. If Argentina scores early, Egypt might have to open up, and that plays into Argentina’s hands. If Egypt holds out into the second half, the tension could rattle the world champions.
One thing is certain: both teams are running on fumes, and Tuesday night will test who has more left in the tank.
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