Match Progress
15 min: Argentina holds 82% possession so far.
12 min: Simeone wins the first corner for Argentina. Lo Celso takes the corner, Otamendi heads over at the near post. A challenging opportunity.
10 min: Justin Kavanagh comments,
“When a pal took me to my first American football game, I asked him why anyone would want to play as say, an offensive linesman (a blocker, basically). Those guys have practically no chance of ever even touching the ball. In the home of the Dallas Cowboys tonight, the players of Jordan must know how they feel.”He notes that Jordan has had some possession in recent minutes, though Argentina remains dominant overall.
7 min: Disallowed goal for Argentina. Lo Celso, making his first World Cup appearance, is marginally offside when he runs onto Alvarez’s pass and finishes elegantly with the outside of his left foot. It was a fine move and the first time Argentina has breached Jordan’s defense.
4 min: Exequiel Palacios starts at right-back with Giuliano Simeone ahead of him. Palacios rarely plays in this position, but Argentina’s expected ball dominance should limit his need to venture far from his comfort zone.
3 min: The atmosphere feels like a home game for Argentina in Dallas, with players and fans quickly engaged.
1 min: Jordan kick off from left to right as the match begins.
The match commenced with a minute’s silence honoring the victims of the earthquakes in Venezuela. While a few individuals did not observe it respectfully, the majority maintained a solemn and proper tribute.
The Draw for the Last 32
The round of 32 fixtures include:
- United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Switzerland vs Iran/Algeria/Austria
The ties are arranged in bracket order, meaning Germany and France could meet in the last 16 if they defeat Paraguay and Sweden respectively. Football analyst Patrick Battison is noted to have expressed disappointment at this prospect.
Other potential high-profile matches include Portugal vs Spain (last 16), Germany vs Netherlands (quarter-final), England vs Brazil (quarter-final), France vs Spain (semi-final), Brazil vs Argentina (semi-final), England vs Argentina (semi-final), and Argentina vs France (final). While many of these matches may not materialize, the bracket structure allows for such possibilities.
Group K Final Matches and Historical Context
The last round of Group K matches has concluded:
- DR Congo has qualified for the knockout stage for the first time, marking a historic achievement in a group stage filled with milestones. They will face England on Wednesday.
- Colombia, having topped the group, will play Ghana.
- Portugal is set to face Croatia, with a potential subsequent match against Spain in the last 16.
Shahidul Partha, who grew up in Kulkandi, Bangladesh, recalls how many villagers gathered to watch World Cup matches on his family’s property in the early 2000s. Up to 80 people would watch on a 14-inch black-and-white TV powered by battery, one of the few sets in the area. They would enjoy milk tea and biscuits while cheering for Brazil and Argentina.
“It was a very nice moment and it was like they were playing with the players,”says 35-year-old Partha, now residing in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, working as a software engineer and commissioner for local governments.
“When it is a goal, everyone is screaming loudly. Everyone is excited, people are shouting, like: ‘Go, go, make it go.’ Sometimes they give directions: ‘Go this side, go this side.’”
Despite living thousands of miles away, Partha continues to support Argentina as it reminds him of home.
Although Bangladesh’s national soccer team has never qualified for the World Cup, the nation’s 170 million people and diaspora fervently support the sport, particularly Argentina and Brazil. This is reflected in the audience statistics: nearly 20% of traffic to ’s live blog for Argentina’s match against Algeria on 16 June originated from Bangladesh.
Knockout Stage Outlook
The knockout stage is not fully finalized, but the draw appears favorable for Argentina.
- Last 16: Australia or Egypt. Australia’s presence would repeat the 2022 matchup.
- Quarter-final possibilities include Switzerland, Iran, Algeria, Austria, or Colombia.
Jordan makes two changes, with Odel al-Fakhouri and Ali Azaizeh replacing Musa al-Taamari and Mahmoud al-Mardi.
Argentina rests nine of the starting eleven from their match against Austria on Monday; only Emi Martinez and Lautaro Martinez retain their places.
Team Lineups and Officials
Jordan (3-4-2-1): Abulaila; Nasib, al-Arab, Abu Dahab; Haddad, al-Rashdan, al-Rawabdeh, Abu Taha; Azaizeh, Olwan; O al-Fakouhri.
Subs: Bani Attiah, A al-Fakhouri, Abu Hashish, Abualnadi, Obaid, al-Rosan, Badawi, Jamous, Ayed, Sadeh, Abu Ghoush, al-Dawoud, Abu Zrayq, al-Taamari, al-Mardi.
Argentina (4-4-2): E Martinez; Palacios, Otamendi, Senesi, Tagliafico; Simeone, Paz, Paredes, Lo Celso; Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez.
Subs: Musso, Rulli, Montiel, Lisandro Martinez, Romero, Medina, Molina, De Paul, Barco, Gonzalez, Almada, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Lopez, Messi.
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (Romania)
Historic Achievements and Team Statements
Jordan’s head coach, Bubista, expressed pride in his team’s performance, stating they have
“shown that nothing is impossible”after securing a historic meeting with Argentina in the last 32.
Cape Verde has become the smallest country by population to reach the World Cup knockout stages and the first debutants since 2010 to do so, following their match in Houston. They finished second in Group H, a remarkable accomplishment given the group also included Spain and Uruguay.
Group Stage Conclusion and Upcoming Fixtures
Sixteen days after Mexico and South Africa initiated the 2026 World Cup, the extensive group stage concludes with a Group J doubleheader: Algeria vs Austria, and Jordan vs Argentina in Dallas.
Technically, the Jordan vs Argentina match is a dead rubber: Jordan has been eliminated, and Argentina already knows they will face Cape Verde in the last 32. However, Jordan aims to secure their first point at a World Cup, while millions of Lionel Messi fans worldwide anticipate his performance. Messi has been in exceptional form, scoring five goals in two games, leading the Golden Boot race.
Although Messi will not start the game, he is expected to extend his lead.
“Leo will most likely come on in the second half,”said Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni.
“We talked and agreed that it was better that way, but obviously it’s also good for him to stay in competitive form.”
Messi continues his impressive scoring streak. At the previous World Cup in Qatar, he scored seven goals, equaling the record for a player who did not win the Golden Boot. This record is expected to be surpassed at the current tournament.
Match Details
Kick-off is scheduled for 9pm local time / 12pm AEST / 3am BST / 10pm EDT.
