As a match wears on, the body begins to remind players of its limits. Muscles tighten, breathing grows heavier. Football, however, pays little attention to such realities. It demands relentless running, constant battles and commitment until the very last whistle. Against that backdrop, Argentina and Egypt will meet tomorrow in the World Cup round of 16.

Both teams have started the knockout stage with tough battles. Neither could finish the job in 90 minutes. Argentina needed 120 minutes to prevail, while Egypt went even further, surviving the nerve-racking drama of a penalty shootout. Rest, therefore, has become a luxury.

Argentina edged Cape Verde 3-2 last Friday. The scoreline says victory, but the story was far from straightforward. Lionel Scaloni's side had to battle not only their opponents but also fatigue and their own limitations.

Egypt's journey was even more exhausting. After 120 grueling minutes against Australia, they eventually triumphed 4-2 in the shootout—a victory that felt like a sigh of relief after an ordeal. Now the two weary contenders will face each other tomorrow in Atlanta, with kick-off at 10:00 pm Bangladesh time.