Joe Schmidt admitted he was on edge before Australia ended their eight-match Rugby Championship losing streak with a last-gasp 20-19 win over Argentina.
Ben Donaldson slotted over from close range with the last play of the game, much to the Pumas' frustration when the referee blew the full whistle.
Argentina held healthy leads twice, going 10-0 and 16-7 up. Jake Gordon and Rob Valetini crossed for Australia before Noah Lolesio's three kicks left the game on a knife edge before Donaldson sealed the win.
It is the first time the Wallabies have won in the competition since beating South Africa in 2022, and Schmidt was overjoyed that they were able to get the result over the line.
"It was heart in mouth," said Schmidt. "I'm really delighted for the boys, they found a way to win. I'm just really proud.
"We made a few things hard for ourselves, giving them a big start at home, a big crowd and difficult conditions.
"We put ourselves straight back under pressure by dropping restarts, but we fought, scored tries and created some other chances that would have been great.
"It'll be back to the drawing board a little bit, but I think we might even enjoy this one, just because we really had to fight to get it."
Argentina host Australia again in Sante Fe next week, while South Africa and New Zealand will meet in Cape Town in round four.
Lionel Messi has been omitted from Argentina's upcoming World Cup qualifiers as he continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained in the Copa America final.
The superstar forward limped off a little over an hour into La Albiceleste's 1-0 victory over Colombia in Miami on July 14 and has not featured since.
Messi, 37, did not play in the MLS All-Star game, with his club side Inter Miami confirming he had sustained ligament damage to his right ankle and no timeline has been put on his return.
Lionel Scaloni has the likes of Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez and Nicolas Gonzales to call upon, while Lazio forward Valentin Castellanos earns a first call-up.
Argentina face Chile in Buenos Aires on September 5 before travelling to Bogota for a rematch with Colombia five days later.
Scaloni's side, who are hoping to defend their World Cup title in 2026 by qualifying for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, are top of CONMEBOL qualifying with five wins from six matches.
The top six nations from CONMEBOL qualify for the tournament, while seventh place goes into a play-off for an additional berth.
New Zealand exacted revenge on Argentina following their shock defeat to the Pumas last week, winning 42-10 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run at Eden Park to 50 tests.
The All Blacks responded in ruthless fashion, scoring six tries as Scott Robertson's side now await world champions South Africa in Johannesburg next week.
New Zealand got off to the perfect start when Damian McKenzie latched on to Jordie Barrett's chip for the first try in the sixth minute, with captain Ardie Savea adding a second 11 minutes later.
Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan and Beauden Barrett all crossed to give the All Blacks a 35-3 lead at half-time in challenging conditions at the Auckland fortress.
Jordan notched his second try of the encounter shortly after the restart, but Argentina were able to halt the constant New Zealand pressure for much of the second half.
The Pumas would score their first and only try eight minutes from time, with Juan Cruz Mallia going over to take some of the shine off an otherwise dominant display.
Fly-half McKenzie converted all six All Blacks tries, with New Zealand captain Savea happy with his side's response to the defeat in Wellington seven days ago.
"Very happy to get the win and respond the way we did," said Savea.
"We're the All Blacks, we've got to bring that every week and not rely on a loss to get that response from us."
Data Debrief: 50 not out at Eden Park
The All Blacks responded in some style to their 38-30 defeat against Argentina last week, getting their Rugby Championship title defence back on track.
New Zealand's emphatic triumph saw them extend their unbeaten run at Auckland's Eden Park to 50 matches, last losing in 1994 against France.
The Rugby Championship returned with a bang last weekend.
World champions South Africa stated their intent from the very start, dishing out a 33-7 thrashing to end Australia's unbeaten run under Joe Schmidt.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's crown could be under threat after they suffered an opening day slip-up as Argentina pounced, upsetting the All Blacks with a 38-30 victory.
Australia and New Zealand have a chance to right those wrongs on matchday two, while South Africa and Argentina will be looking to pull clear at the top of the table.
Here, we run through the best Opta stats ahead of this weekend's action, picking out the players to watch in each contest.
NEW ZEALAND V ARGENTINA
New Zealand's defence of their Rugby Championship title did not get off to the desired start as they let their half-time lead slip to lose to Argentina in Wellington last weekend, ending head coach Scott Robertson's perfect start.
However, they will be stepping out in Auckland this time around, a happy hunting ground for them as they are undefeated across their last 51 Test matches there (49 wins, two draws), scoring an average of 36.7 points per game across that span. Their last defeat in the city was a 20-23 loss against France in July 1994.
New Zealand also won their only previous meeting with Argentina at Eden Park, cruising to a 33-10 victory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
They bring plenty of physicality too, having made 11 offloads in the first round, the most of any team; the All Blacks have logged more than 10 offloads in their last two matches in the competition after doing so only once across their previous nine games in the tournament beforehand.
Argentina, meanwhile, won their Rugby Championship opener for the first time, having lost it in their previous 11 appearances.
And, after coming from behind to win that game, they look to have a new lease of life under Felipe Contepomi as they aim to get back-to-back wins over New Zealand for the first time.
Indeed, Los Pumas have won each of their last two Test matches against tier one opposition (38-30 v New Zealand and 33-25 v France) - the last time they recorded a longer winning run in such fixtures was a three-match span at the 2007 Rugby World Cup (v France, Ireland and Scotland).
Argentina made 183 tackles in round one of the Rugby Championship, the most of any team; it is the third time they have logged 180+ in a match in the tournament since the beginning of 2021 – Australia (twice) are the only other team to have done so more than once in that time.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Zealand – Ethan Blackadder
Despite being on the wrong end of the scoreline, Blackadder managed to catch the eye as he completed 20 tackles in round one of the Rugby Championship, the most of any player.
In fact, it was the joint-most he has made in a Test match for the All Blacks (also 20 v Ireland in November 2021).
Argentina – Matteo Carreras
While Agustin Creevy stole the headlines during Argentina's win last weekend, Matteo Carreras' involvement was equally important.
He has scored three tries in his last two Test matches, including one try against New Zealand last time out, as many as he scored in his eight Tests prior to that run combined (three).
AUSTRALIA V SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa started as they mean to go on with their statement win over Australia last weekend, and they have now won their last three Test matches against the Wallabies by an average margin of 24.3 points.
The last time the Springboks recorded a longer winning run against the Wallabies was a seven-match span from August 1969 to August 1971.
Indeed, South Africa have won each of their last two Test matches against their opponents in Australia, conceding no more than eight points on the day in either of those two wins.
South Africa's form anywhere away from home is impressive enough. They have won each of their last six Test matches outside their country, with three of those six victories coming by a single-point margin on the day. The last time the Springboks recorded a longer winning run outside the country was a nine-match span from August to November in 2007.
Rassie Erasmus' side completely dominated as they gained 547 metres on matchday one of the Rugby Championship, 149 metres more than the team with the second most (Argentina – 398); only once across their last 22 matches in the competition prior have the Springboks gained more in a game (698 v Australia in July 2023).
Schmidt's hopes of a strong start to the tournament quickly evaporated in Brisbane, but a move to Perth could be a good boost for their confidence, with Australia only losing one of their last nine Test matches in the city (winning seven, drawing one).
Australia won 20 line-outs (inc. two steals) in round one of the Rugby Championship, the most of any team; only once across their last 40 Test matches prior to that game had the Wallabies logged as many (20, inc. four steals v Fiji in September 2023). If they can make those count, they could give themselves a chance.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Australia – Harry Wilson
While Australia's attacking play left much to be desired, Harry Wilson provided them with a driving force as he crossed the gainline on 10 carries on matchday one, the second most of any player (Ardie Savea, 12).
He also won seven line-outs, the most of any player in the opening round of the tournament.
South Africa – Kurt-Lee Arendse
Kurt-Lee Arendse continued his impressive run of form with two tries against Australia last time out, meaning he has now scored four tries in his last four Test matches.
He has scored five tries in his two career appearances against the Wallabies, scoring a hat-trick against them last year in addition to last week's brace.
Agustin Creevy has hailed Argentina's "amazing" performance after they came from behind to beat New Zealand 38-30 in their Rugby Championship opener.
The All Blacks made a strong start to the game and held the lead at the halfway stage, but Argentina started the second half brightly, fighting back to edge in front.
It was Creevy who proved the hero for the Pumas with a try before Mateo Carreras sealed another famous victory, having also beaten them in August 2022.
It is the first time in 12 attempts that Argentina have won their opener at the Rugby Championship, and Creevy, who missed that match in 2022, was buoyant after clinching the win.
"It was amazing," Creevy said. "I think we had a really good performance. We spoke in the week about hitting first and we hit first. I thought we dominated the whole game.
"For me, personally, I am 39 and this is the first time in my life I have won in New Zealand. This game for us is f****** amazing. And now, thinking, I want to win next week."
Meanwhile, it was Scott Robertson's first defeat since taking over the All Blacks, having earned a 2-0 series triumph over England before earning a dominant win over Fiji.
Sam Darry and Anton Lienert-Brown provided the tries in the first half to give them the lead, but they struggled to regain their foothold in the second, and Robertson was candid about where it went wrong for New Zealand on Saturday.
"We weren't good enough," Robertson admitted. "It started off at the kick-off and every time we received one, we couldn't get off our back fence.
"That kept us in a pressure cycle, and we just made too many errors."
Argentina and New Zealand will meet again in the Rugby Championship next weekend in Auckland.
Agustin Creevy proved the late hero as Argentina stunned New Zealand with a 38-30 victory in a Wellington thriller on Saturday.
Hooker Creevy bundled over with just 11 minutes remaining, with his sixth try in 109 Tests paving the way for Santiago Carreras' penalty to seal an eye-catching triumph in their Rugby Championship opener.
Having triumphed two years ago on Kiwi soil, Argentina held out for another significant victory in New Zealand despite missing captain Julian Montoya due to a rib injury.
Sam Darry had earlier opened the scoring for the hosts before Anton Lienert-Brown restored New Zealand's lead after Lucio Cinti powered over for the visiting Pumas.
Mateo Carreras reduced the deficit heading into half-time, with New Zealand leading by five points before the boot of Carreras edged Argentina into a 25-23 advantage after the interval.
Mark Tele'a picked the right moment to dance through the Argentina defence to send the All Blacks back ahead, yet Creevy provided the late heroics before Carreras punished a line-out error to seal a famous victory.
Data Debrief: All Blacks rare failure on home soil
New Zealand had won 16 of their 17 Test matches against Argentina on home soil (L1), recording an average winning margin of 34.8 points across those 16 victories.
Yet that winning run came to an abrupt end as Argentina triumphed for just a second time in seven Rugby Championship matches, adding to a 34-31 victory against Australia in July 2023.
This landmark triumph also marked their first opening win at this competition in 12 attempts, having lost all 11 prior appearances in the Rugby Championship opener.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's struggles in Wellington continued. They have now won only one of their last seven Tests at this venue, with the All Blacks seeking revenge at Eden Park next Saturday.
The Rugby Championship is back.
All eyes will be on the Southern Hemisphere's finest throughout six matchdays in August and September, with the tournament returning to a full 12-game format after the 2023 edition was shortened due to the Rugby World Cup.
South Africa broke New Zealand's hearts in the final of that tournament in France, and now they are hoping to end the All Blacks' four-year streak of victories in this competition.
The two favourites have been kept apart on the opening matchday, and both will be desperate to avoid any slip-ups on matchday one, as the Springboks go to Australia and New Zealand entertain Argentina.
Here, we run through the best Opta stats ahead of this weekend's action, picking out the players to watch in each contest.
AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA
The action gets under way at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as Australia host the world champions, who are targeting a third straight Test win against the Wallabies following triumphs in the last two editions of the Rugby Championship.
They only won two of their previous eight versus Australia (two draws, four losses) and last enjoyed a longer winning run against them between September 2012 and September 2013 (three matches).
With the Wallabies starting a period of transition under new head coach Joe Schmidt, Rassie Erasmus' men go in as handy favourites to follow up their 24-8 victory in Australia two years ago. They last won back-to-back Tests in Australia in July 1993.
The Springboks have won 13 of their last 15 Tests, their only two defeats in that time coming against Ireland, while their 10.8 offloads per game are the most of any Tier One nation in Tests this year.
They always bring plenty of physicality, boasting the only three Tier One players to make 10 or more carries into contact while managing a dominant carry rate of 70% or better this year, namely Ben-Jason Dixon (83%), Lukhanyo Am (82%) and Makazole Mapimpi (79%). However, the latter duo are absent from their matchday one selection.
Erasmus will be warning his side against any complacency, however, given Australia have won their last four Test matches including all three to be played in 2024.
The last time they started a calendar year with a longer winning run was in 2008 (five matches).
No Tier One team has conceded fewer than Australia's 11.3 turnovers per game in Tests this year, while only Argentina (15.33) have averaged more than South Africa (15.25). Keeping the mistakes to a minimum will be key if the Wallabies are to spring a surprise.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Australia – Jake Gordon
Gordon will form one half of Australia's run-on halves pairing, alongside Noah Lolesio. The 31-year-old has been a reliable performer at the start of this new era for Australian rugby, seeing six of his 21 kicks from hand retained by a team-mate in Test action this year.
His kick retention rate of 29% is the best of the 25 Tier One players to attempt at least 20 kicks in Test rugby in 2024.
South Africa – RG Snyman
Snyman will start at number five in place of the injured Franco Mostert, having proven a capable deputy so far this year.
He has made 10 offloads in just 182 Test rugby minutes in 2024, averaging 4.4 per 80 minutes. No other Tier One player has averaged three or more per match this year.
NEW ZEALAND v ARGENTINA
New Zealand have not failed to win the Rugby Championship in 2019, and retaining their crown will be all the more important this year, following their dramatic 12-11 defeat to South Africa in the World Cup final almost 10 months ago.
Opening their 2024 campaign in Wellington, the All Blacks will be confident of maintaining their 100% record under new head coach Scott Robertson, who oversaw two wins over England and a 47-5 rout of Fiji last month.
New Zealand have an excellent record versus Argentina, winning 16 of their previous 17 Tests against them on home soil and averaging a winning margin of 34.8 points across those victories. The only defeat in that run came in the 2022 Rugby Championship, at the low point of Ian Foster's reign as head coach.
The All Blacks got their revenge by destroying Los Pumas 44-6 in the World Cup semi-finals last year, and they have now won their last three Tests against them, scoring 40 or more points in each of those meetings.
Before that run began, New Zealand had only tallied 40 or more points in three of their previous 22 meetings with Argentina.
Argentina, meanwhile, are yet to begin a Rugby Championship campaign with a win, losing their opening match in each of their previous 11 appearances. They did, however, beat the All Blacks in their first game of the 2020 Tri Nations.
Like their hosts, Argentina are entering a new era under Felipe Contepomi, who took the reigns from Michael Cheika after the World Cup.
Los Pumas have scored an average of 6.3 tries per game in Test action this year, the most of any Tier One nation, while they also lead the way for dominant contact on carries, doing so 51 times per game on average.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Zealand – Ardie Savea
Savea will lead New Zealand out for the ninth time on Saturday, with a finger injury leaving regular skipper Scott Barrett sidelined.
Savea has been directly involved in six tries in his last six Test matches (four tries, two try assists) and scored a try when the All Blacks last faced Argentina in the Rugby Championship last August.
Argentina – Pablo Matera
Matera is also a stand-in captain for this match, with Julian Montoya absent due to a rib injury.
He made a competition-high 44 carries in the 2023 edition of the Rugby Championship, while his four offloads were the joint-most of any player in that tournament.
The Rugby Championship is back.
All eyes will be on the Southern Hemisphere's finest throughout six matchdays in August and September, with the tournament returning to a full 12-game format after the 2023 edition was shortened due to the Rugby World Cup.
South Africa broke New Zealand's hearts in the final of that tournament in France, and now they are hoping to end the All Blacks' four-year streak of victories in this competition.
The two favourites have been kept apart on the opening matchday, and both will be desperate to avoid any slip-ups on matchday one, as the Springboks go to Australia and New Zealand entertain Argentina.
Here, we run through the best Opta stats ahead of this weekend's action, picking out the players to watch in each contest.
AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA
The action gets under way at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as Australia host the world champions, who are targeting a third straight Test win against the Wallabies following triumphs in the last two editions of the Rugby Championship.
They only won two of their previous eight versus Australia (two draws, four losses) and last enjoyed a longer winning run against them between September 2012 and September 2013 (three matches).
With the Wallabies starting a period of transition under new head coach Joe Schmidt, Rassie Erasmus' men go in as handy favourites to follow up their 24-8 victory in Australia two years ago. They last won back-to-back Tests in Australia in July 1993.
The Springboks have won 13 of their last 15 Tests, their only two defeats in that time coming against Ireland, while their 10.8 offloads per game are the most of any Tier One nation in Tests this year.
They always bring plenty of physicality, boasting the only three Tier One players to make 10 or more carries into contact while managing a dominant carry rate of 70% or better this year, namely Ben-Jason Dixon (83%), Lukhanyo Am (82%) and Makazole Mapimpi (79%). However, the latter duo are absent from their matchday one selection.
Erasmus will be warning his side against any complacency, however, given Australia have won their last four Test matches including all three to be played in 2024.
The last time they started a calendar year with a longer winning run was in 2008 (five matches).
No Tier One team has conceded fewer than Australia's 11.3 turnovers per game in Tests this year, while only Argentina (15.33) have averaged more than South Africa (15.25). Keeping the mistakes to a minimum will be key if the Wallabies are to spring a surprise.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Australia – Jake Gordon
Gordon will form one half of Australia's run-on halves pairing, alongside Noah Lolesio. The 31-year-old has been a reliable performer at the start of this new era for Australian rugby, seeing six of his 21 kicks from hand retained by a team-mate in Test action this year.
His kick retention rate of 29% is the best of the 25 Tier One players to attempt at least 20 kicks in Test rugby in 2024.
South Africa – RG Snyman
Snyman will start at number five in place of the injured Franco Mostert, having proven a capable deputy so far this year.
He has made 10 offloads in just 182 Test rugby minutes in 2024, averaging 4.4 per 80 minutes. No other Tier One player has averaged three or more per match this year.
NEW ZEALAND v ARGENTINA
New Zealand have not failed to win the Rugby Championship in 2019, and retaining their crown will be all the more important this year, following their dramatic 12-11 defeat to South Africa in the World Cup final almost 10 months ago.
Opening their 2024 campaign in Wellington, the All Blacks will be confident of maintaining their 100% record under new head coach Scott Robertson, who oversaw two wins over England and a 47-5 rout of Fiji last month.
New Zealand have an excellent record versus Argentina, winning 16 of their previous 17 Tests against them on home soil and averaging a winning margin of 34.8 points across those victories. The only defeat in that run came in the 2022 Rugby Championship, at the low point of Ian Foster's reign as head coach.
The All Blacks got their revenge by destroying Los Pumas 44-6 in the World Cup semi-finals last year, and they have now won their last three Tests against them, scoring 40 or more points in each of those meetings.
Before that run began, New Zealand had only tallied 40 or more points in three of their previous 22 meetings with Argentina.
Argentina, meanwhile, are yet to begin a Rugby Championship campaign with a win, losing their opening match in each of their previous 11 appearances. They did, however, beat the All Blacks in their first game of the 2020 Tri Nations.
Like their hosts, Argentina are entering a new era under Felipe Contepomi, who took the reigns from Michael Cheika after the World Cup.
Los Pumas have scored an average of 6.3 tries per game in Test action this year, the most of any Tier One nation, while they also lead the way for dominant contact on carries, doing so 51 times per game on average.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Zealand – Ardie Savea
Savea will lead New Zealand out for the ninth time on Saturday, with a finger injury leaving regular skipper Scott Barrett sidelined.
Savea has been directly involved in six tries in his last six Test matches (four tries, two try assists) and scored a try when the All Blacks last faced Argentina in the Rugby Championship last August.
Argentina – Pablo Matera
Matera is also a stand-in captain for this match, with Julian Montoya absent due to a rib injury.
He made a competition-high 44 carries in the 2023 edition of the Rugby Championship, while his four offloads were the joint-most of any player in that tournament.
Thierry Henry admitted he did not agree with the scenes that followed France's 1-0 win over Argentina in the quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics.
Jean-Philippe Mateta's fifth minute strike proved to be the difference in Bordeaux, but ugly scenes at Ilgiz Tantashev's full-time whistle overshadowed Les Bleus' triumph.
Tensions between the two nations had been at boiling point after Argentina's Copa America winning squad were filmed singing a racist chant aimed towards the French.
Argentina's Marco Di Cesare set the tone in a feisty encounter early on, picking up the first of 10 yellow cards shown in the match.
After the Olympic hosts had confirmed their place in the semi-finals, celebrations spilled onto the pitch, which sparked a reaction from the Albiceleste players.
Enzo Millot, who had been substituted five minutes before full-time, received a red card for his actions, much to the frustration of his head coach.
"I don’t agree with what happened at the end of the match. My player [Millot] got a red card and I don’t accept it, it shouldn’t happen," Henry said.
"I couldn’t control what happened. I went to greet the coach and when I turned around, what happened, happened.
"We won, but I didn’t like what happened at the end with my player.
"We don't take this match as revenge because the World Cup was with other teams, Henry continued. "Having scored the goal quickly gave us a decision.
France will face Egypt in the last four of the competition, with the opportunity to win gold for the first time since Los Angeles 1984.
France continued their 100% record at their home Olympics as they defeated Argentina 1-0 to advance to the semi-finals.
Crystal Palace's Jean-Phillipe Mateta headed in from a cross from his former club-mate Michael Olise five minutes in, and that ultimately proved enough for Thierry Henry's men to progress.
VAR disallowed France a second late on, but Argentina could not make their fortune count before tempers boiled over between the players at the final whistle.
Argentina came out on top in the 2022 World Cup final between these great footballing nations, and there were an equal amount of thrills and spills this time around.
Mateta's early goal set the tone for a dominant display from Les Bleus in the first half, with Enzo Millot going close before Geronimo Rulli denied France's goalscorer a second.
While Giuliano Simeone should have done better before the break, it was a similar story in the second half as Mateta again met an Olise corner, but this time his header went just over.
Olise seemed to have capped off a virtuous display with a goal of his own 10 minutes from time, but VAR disallowed the goal for a foul in the build-up.
Loic Bade struck the woodwork just after, and Claudio Echeverri - just on as a substitute - may have made France pay had he kept his composure with the goal gaping, only to slice over as Les Bleus held on to set up a semi-final against Egypt, who beat Paraguay 5-4 on penalties.
Data Debrief: France's Palace connection
Two players who starred at Selhurst Park last season were the main men in Bordeaux on Friday.
He was a constant threat, taking the most shots for France (three) and contributing 0.35 of their 0.97 expected goals (xG), while also having the joint-most touches inside the box (four, level with Olise).
Olise shone in a central role behind his former team-mate, creating three chances, the joint-most of any player in the match.
Thiago Almada and Claudio Echeverri helped Argentina secure a 2-0 win over Ukraine, but were forced to settle for second place in Group B at the Paris Olympics.
Argentina were among the pre-tournament favourites to win a third gold medal, and their individual quality in the final third ultimately shone through in Lyon.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, Argentina struck just two minutes after the break as Almada sent a curling effort beyond the grasp of Kiril Fesiun.
Ukraine threatened to snatch a point in the closing stages, but Echeverri secured the win in the first minute of injury time as he was quickest to react to Kevin Zenon's spilled effort.
But in the other game in Group B, Morocco swept aside Iraq as they emerged 3-0 victors, notching six points from their three games to top the group ahead of Javier Mascherano's side.
Argentina will face the winners of Group A in the last 16, which will be one of France, New Zealand or the United States.
Data Debrief: Argentina's individual quality the difference
Almada's stunning strike came with an expected goals (xG) of 0.03, once again showcasing his quality that has seen him shine for Atlanta United in the MLS this season.
Despite being the tournament's oldest player, Nicolas Otamendi showcased his experience at the back to help Argentina secure the victory.
The 36-year-old had the most touches (96), more accurate passes (85) and highest pass accuracy (97.7%) than anyone on the pitch.
Argentina got their Group B campaign at the Olympics up and running with a 3-1 victory over Iraq, with Thiago Almada, Luciano Gondou and Ezequiel Fernandez scoring.
Javier Mascherano's side made a losing start against Morocco on Wednesday, going down by a 2-1 scoreline in a chaotic match that featured almost 20 minutes of second-half stoppage time and a two-hour delay due to crowd trouble.
They bounced back against Iraq despite Aymen Hussein cancelling out Almada's opener, with Gondou and Fernandez on target in the second half in a deserved victory.
Argentina hit the front after 14 minutes as Julian Alvarez improvised to chest a deflected cross down to Almada, who lashed into the bottom-left corner on the volley.
But Iraq grew into the contest and got their reward five minutes into first-half stoppage time, Hussein getting across his marker to nod Ahmed Maknzi's cross into the far corner.
Argentina were in the ascendency throughout the second half, though, restoring their lead shortly after the hour mark. Iraq goalkeeper Hussein Hasan got caught under Kevin Zenon's cross as Gondou headed home at the far post.
They wrapped up the points when Fernandez scored the pick of the goals with five minutes remaining, the midfielder curling a left-footed shot into the top-left corner after clever play from Almada and Zenon.
The Albiceleste, Iraq and Morocco are now all level on three points with one game remaining, with Ukraine pointless ahead of facing the Atlas Lions later on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Almada pulls the strings
Almada was part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad and attracted plenty of admiring glances from European clubs while with Atlanta United, only to join Botofogo for an MLS-record fee earlier this month.
The Brazilian giants have every right to be pleased with their purchase.
As well as firing in the opener on Saturday, Almada managed a game-high three chances created and 30 passes in the final third. A sumptuous backheel in the build-up to Fernandez's goal provided another glimpse of his quality.
Antoine Dupont sealed hosts France's progression to the rugby sevens semi-finals as his late try clinched victory over Argentina at the Paris Olympics.
Dupont, voted the 2021 World Player of the Year, missed out on this year's Six Nations to prepare himself for the sevens at the Games.
And he scored a brilliant solo try in the dying seconds at a jam-packed Stade de France to wrap up a 26-14 triumph over Argentina on Thursday.
Aaron Grandidier had earlier crossed the line twice along with back-rower Andy Timo's opener in a dominant first half, though Argentina fought back after the break.
Rodrigo Isgro responded for Los Pumas before Marcos Moneta sneaked over after France were reduced to six when Jordan Sepho was sin-binned.
Yet home favourite Dupont stepped up in the decisive moment, whipping the crowd into frenzy after setting up a last-four meeting against South Africa, who overcame New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
South Africa finished third in Pool A as New Zealand topped the group, but the Springboks exacted revenge against the All Blacks to secure a semi-final berth.
The Springboks raced into a two-try lead before holding out for a 14-7 victory to stun one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Fiji, champions in 2016 when the event was first introduced and four years later in Tokyo, unexpectedly found themselves up against it as Chay Mullins bundled over twice to snatch a 10-7 lead for Ireland at half-time.
Zac Ward extended the Irish lead but two tries in less than 30 seconds from Selestino Ravutaumada and Terio Tamani snatched a 19-15 turnaround.
The two-time Olympic champions will meet Australia after the Wallabies downed the United States with ease.
Corey Toole and James Turner both crossed in the first half en route to a convincing 18-0 triumph in the final match of the day, sending Australia into their first rugby sevens semi-final at the Olympics.
Javier Mascherano labelled Argentina's controversial defeat to Morocco as "a scandal" in their opening game at the Paris Olympics.
Argentina looked to have rescued a point having come from two goals down when Cristian Medina headed home in the 16th minute of second half injury-time.
However, crowd trouble in the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard halted proceedings, with referee Glenn Nyberg taking both sets of players off the pitch.
The game was subsequently suspended for nearly two hours and once it resumed, the controversy and confusion continued.
Following a VAR review, Bruno Amione was adjudged to have been in an offside position in the build-up to the potential equaliser as Morocco's advantage was reinstated.
The remaining three minutes of the contest played out in front of an empty stadium, with Tarik Sektioui's side able to hold on for an unlikely triumph.
The game finished more than four hours after it started, leaving Mascherano furious at full-time, describing the outcome as not befitting an event as prestigious as the Olympics.
“The match was suspended for security and safety,” Mascherano began. “At no moment did we talk about the review. The official Olympic page put the match at 2-2.
“The match was suspended for security. At no moment did we talk about the review. Then after we were not told anything new, we started to hear things.
“The referee never came, he never gave us an explanation.”
He added: “We turn the page and stay with the positive things from the team in the second half and look for the two wins we’re going to need.
“What happened on the pitch was a scandal. This isn’t a neighbourhood tournament, this is the Olympic Games.
“How are they going to stop the match seven times in the second half because someone comes onto the pitch?
“The second and third time you have to take a decision. Seven times people came onto the pitch.”
Lionel Messi, who won gold for La Albiceleste in Beijing in 2008, also shared his frustrations with his former Barcelona team-mate.
The 37-year-old kept it to the point, posting “Insolito” on his Instagram story, which translates to “unbelievable".
Argentina face Iraq in their next game in Lyon on Saturday, concluding their group campaign against Ukraine on July 30.
Morocco upset Argentina for a 2-1 victory in the teams' opening match at the Olympic Games, with the contest ending in chaotic fashion after a two-hour delay caused by crowd trouble.
Morocco were on course for victory when Al Ain striker Soufiane Rahimi scored twice in a five-minute spell either side of half-time, before Giuliano Simeone halved the arrears for Argentina.
Cristian Medina appeared to have equalised deep into stoppage time, but crowd trouble caused referee Glenn Nyberg to take the teams off the pitch before a VAR review could take place.
It was ruled that Bruno Amione was offside in the build-up, and with the goal chalked off, the teams returned to play three further minutes in an empty stadium two hours later, Morocco holding on for a memorable win.
Morocco inched ahead two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Ilias Akhomach bamboozling the Argentina defence with a wonderful backheel that allowed Bilal El Khannouss to cross for Rahimi to tap home.
Within four minutes of the restart, Morocco had a chance to double their lead as the tricky Akhomach was pushed inside the area by Julio Soler. Rahimi stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, stroking his kick into the bottom-left corner.
Javier Mascherano's team dragged themselves back into the contest with 22 minutes to play, though, as Soler's cross-shot was prodded in by the stretching substitute Simeone.
It looked like Argentina had levelled 16 minutes into stoppage time as both Amione and Nicolas Otamendi struck the crossbar before Medina nodded home from almost on the goal line.
However, some spectators then threw cups, bottles and pyrotechnics at the celebrating Argentina players, causing the teams to leave the field for almost two hours as fans were told to leave the stadium.
With a VAR review ruling Amione was offside in the build-up to Medina's header, the game restarted at 2-1 to Morocco and the Atlas Lions clung on for a huge win.
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