Messi key as Argentina eye quarterfinal spot against Egypt
An already electric World Cup atmosphere is set to reach a crescendo tonight as two icons of modern football -- Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah -- clash in a blockbuster Round of 16 tie at the Atlanta Stadium.
Lionel Scaloni’s side are looking to leave behind their previous match performance, having been given a massive scare in the Round of 32 when they were pushed all the way to extra time by a resilient Cape Verde. While Argentina managed to get over the line, they must now elevate their game against the Egyptians.
Despite their recent scare, the reigning world champions remain one of the most defensively resolute sides in North America, conceding a mere 2.1 expected goals (xG) so far. While they haven't created chances at will, having a player of Messi’s calibre has continuously dragged them through.
The 39-year-old maestro has been in magical form, scoring seven goals from an expected goals yield of just 4.0. Remaining tight at the back and allowing Messi to produce moments of magic in the final third remains Argentina’s definitive winning formula.
Egypt, meanwhile, enter this fixture on the back of a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Australia in the Round of 32 -- marking their third draw in regular time this tournament. Having recorded their first-ever World Cup group-stage win earlier in the campaign, the Pharaohs will need to step it up a gear if they are to shatter Argentina’s title defence.
The narrative tonight is heavily anchored by the contrasting World Cup journeys of its two primary protagonists. For Messi, a World Cup winner and the tournament's all-time top appearance maker and scorer, this summer is widely expected to be his international swansong.
For the 34-year-old Salah, this represents unchartered territory. Despite suffering painful heartbreaks in the 2017 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finals and enduring public disputes with the Egyptian FA over the years, Salah’s ice-cool Panenka penalty against Australia has guided his country to its biggest World Cup moment yet.
History firmly favours the South American giants. The two nations have met only once previously at the international level, with Argentina cruising to a 2-0 friendly victory in 2008 courtesy of goals from Sergio Aguero and Nicolas Burdisso. However, while reaching the Round of 16 is familiar territory for Argentina -- having done so at every edition since 2006 -- this Egypt side is driven by the euphoria of breaking entirely new ground.
Speaking during the 'bKash Presents The Dream Cup with Hamza' show, Bangladesh star footballer Hamza Choudhury weighed in on Argentina's campaign, highlighting the immense psychological burden of defending the crown.
“Argentina got a squad that have been together for a long time. Obviously, they are the reigning champions and it comes with an added pressure. They have a great chance to go all the way depending on whom they play against in the knockout stage,” Hamza said.
The Bangladesh midfielder further emphasised that despite the squad depth available to Scaloni, the ultimate responsibility of breaking down the Egyptian wall rests on the shoulders of their talismanic captain.
“For Argentina, the most valuable player is obviously Messi. With the presence he brings and the fear factor he brings. They got plenty of good players in the team but ultimately, a lot will depend on Messi,” he added.
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