Messi has Argentina ahead at halftime, but Algeria already asked questions
A halftime read from Argentina's World Cup opener: Messi has made it 1-0, Montiel and Medina are now the confirmed full-back choices, and Algeria's early VAR scare means this is not yet a settled night for Scaloni's side.
Messi's first decisive touch of this World Cup came after Argentina had already been warned. At halftime in Kansas City, the holders lead Algeria 1-0 through a 17th-minute Lionel Messi strike, but the first half was not the controlled procession the scoreline might suggest. TyC's live report had Algeria's Fares Chaibi finishing in the seventh minute before VAR ruled it out for offside, then Messi answering with a left-footed shot from outside the area after Rodrigo De Paul found him between the lines. 1
ESPN's match centre also had Argentina 1-0 up at halftime, with Messi's goal listed in the 17th minute and the game still live rather than finished. 2 This is a halftime read, not a final report.
The score is Argentina 1, Algeria 0. The warning signs are real.
The opening sequence mattered because it cut against the easy pre-match story. Algeria did not spend the first 10 minutes waiting to be beaten. Infobae's live blog described Chaibi's early finish, the VAR intervention, and then Messi's response in a first half Argentina eventually steadied. 3
That is the useful frame for Argentina fans: Scaloni's side are ahead because Messi turned one half-window into a goal, not because the whole first half removed doubt. ESPN's halftime numbers showed Argentina with 56% possession and a 0.19-0.10 edge in expected goals, while Algeria led 25-15 in duels won. 2 The champions had more of the ball; Algeria still made enough contact in the game to keep it uncomfortable.
Scaloni's late calls became the first-half test
The confirmed Argentina XI answered the right-back question from the final pre-kickoff reports: Gonzalo Montiel started, with Emiliano Martínez; Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez and Facundo Medina across the back; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Thiago Almada in midfield; Messi and Lautaro Martínez up front. 1 ESPN's lineup view matched that shape and listed Medina as the only Argentina starter who had not been part of the 2022 World Cup squad. 2
| First-half question | What we know at halftime |
|---|---|
| Right back | Montiel got the start over Nahuel Molina, so the last open pre-match selection call is no longer theoretical. 1 |
| Left side | Medina started at left back, giving Argentina a more centre-back-like profile on that flank. ESPN noted he was the only starter outside the 2022 squad. 2 |
| Centre-forward | Lautaro Martínez started with Messi, while Julián Álvarez began on the bench. 1 |
| Algeria's headline call | Riyad Mahrez was named among the substitutes, a tactical benching TyC flagged before kickoff. 1 |
The second-half watch point is simple: if Algeria keep finding direct looks around Argentina's full-backs and set-piece restarts, Scaloni may need earlier control from the bench rather than waiting for the game to settle itself.
Messi's milestone night already has its moment
Al Jazeera's pre-match guide framed this as Messi's 200th international appearance and his record 27th World Cup match, with the captain becoming the first man to play at six World Cups. 4 The goal gave that milestone a football shape. It was not ceremonial. It changed the game.
The live fan and media feed immediately treated it that way. Nigerian writer Arukaino Umukoro called it "Lionel Messi magic" and wrote that the almost-39-year-old had celebrated the goal "like it was his first" with Argentina leading 1-0 at halftime. 5 The Hindu's live update account also pushed the match around the same line: Messi had scored Argentina's opening goal against Algeria. 6
There is still a second half to play. For now, Argentina have the lead, the captain has the headline, and Algeria have done enough to make the next 45 minutes more than a formality.
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