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A highly anticipated clash between Argentina and Algeria has drawn the attention of PSMS Medan head coach, Eko Purdjianto.

The matchup between Argentina and Algeria is scheduled to take place at the Kansas City Stadium in the United States on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, at 08:00 WIB.

Eko Purdjianto predicts that the Argentina national team will begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a victory in their opening Group J fixture against Algeria.

As a passionate supporter of La Albiceleste, Eko remains optimistic that Lionel Scaloni’s side will be able to overcome the challenge posed by the African representatives.

According to him, Argentina’s status as the defending champions serves as an important advantage, especially as most of their players have experience competing in Europe’s elite leagues.

“Yes, Argentina still has the champion’s mentality, and their players have great quality because many of them play in Europe,” Eko Purdjianto told Tribun Medan.

The coach, who previously served as an assistant to Shin Tae-yong with the Indonesian national team, believes that modern football has made Argentina less dependent on a single player to score goals.

He noted that several Argentine players have the potential to make a decisive impact on the pitch.

“In recent matches, anyone can score if there’s an opportunity. It could be player number 7, number 11, or others,” he said.

Eko added that the combination of experience at the highest level, individual player quality, and the mentality of world champions will help Argentina achieve a positive result in their opening match.

“Yes, with modern football, experience, and a winning mindset, they can definitely win,” he affirmed.

The PSMS Medan coach predicted that Argentina will secure three points with a convincing scoreline against Algeria.

“I expect Argentina to beat Algeria 2-0,” he stated.

The man currently guiding PSMS Medan also confirmed that he will not miss the game, expressing his eagerness to watch Argentina defend their World Cup crown from the previous edition.

“Of course, I’ll be watching,” Eko concluded.

Score Predictions for Argentina vs Algeria

Sportsmole: Argentina 1-0 Algeria

Sports Illustrated: Argentina 3-1 Algeria

Sportskeeda: Argentina 3-1 Algeria

Key Statistics

Argentina have won the FIFA World Cup three times and are the reigning champions after clinching the title in Qatar 2022.
Argentina currently hold the number one spot in the FIFA rankings, while Algeria are ranked 28th.
Argentina have won their last seven matches across all competitions.
The two sides have met only once before, in 2007, with Argentina winning 4-3.

Predicted Line-ups
Argentina (4-4-2)
E. Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, L. Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Almada; Messi, L. Martinez

Algeria (4-2-3-1)
Zidane; Belghali, Mandi, Chergui, Ait-Nouri; Bentaleb, Boudaoui; Mahrez, Maza, Amoura; Gouiri

Head-to-Head: Argentina vs Algeria

Last Meeting Between the Two Teams

06/06/07 Algeria 3-4 Argentina (Friendly Match)
Last 5 Matches – Argentina

10/06/26 Argentina 3-0 Iceland (Friendly Match)
07/06/26 Argentina 2-0 Honduras (Friendly Match)
01/04/26 Argentina 5-0 Zambia (Friendly Match)
28/03/26 Argentina 2-1 Mauritania (Friendly Match)
14/11/26 Angola 0-2 Argentina (Friendly Match)

Last 5 Matches – Algeria

11/06/26 Bolivia 0-4 Algeria (Friendly Match)
04/06/26 Netherlands 0-1 Algeria (Friendly Match)
01/04/26 Algeria 0-0 Uruguay (Friendly Match)
28/03/26 Algeria 7-0 Guatemala (Friendly Match)
10/01/26 Algeria 0-2 Nigeria (South Africa)