L. Messi settled the contest early and decisively, opening the scoring in the 17th minute with an assist from R. de Paul, then doubling Argentina's lead with a second goal on 60 minutes, and completing the hat-trick with a third in the 76th — the last set up by N. Gonzalez. Algeria's best moment came in the 8th minute, when F. Chaibi had a goal ruled out for offside by VAR. That disallowance proved a turning point: Algeria managed seven shots across the full 90 minutes but registered none on target, finishing with an xG of 0.31 against Argentina's 1.23.

Argentina move to the top of Group J with three points and a +3 goal difference from their opening fixture, setting a strong early benchmark in the group standings. The margin of victory also carries weight beyond the points: goal difference frequently separates sides in a competitive group, and a clean sheet combined with three goals gives Argentina a cushion that could prove significant as the group stage progresses. Algeria, despite holding 52 percent possession, now face the pressure of needing results in their remaining group matches, having failed to test the goalkeeper even once across 90 minutes.