Kansas City [US], June 27 (ANI): Argentina defender Cristian Romero has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury by returning to on-field training, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said on Friday, as per Reuters.

Romero had previously been restricted to individual gym sessions under the supervision of the team's physiotherapists after sustaining the injury during Argentina's 2-0 FIFA World Cup Group J victory over Austria on Monday.

The centre-back was forced off in the 57th minute and is expected to miss Argentina's final group-stage match against Jordan on Saturday, with veteran Nicolas Otamendi likely to replace him.

The 28-year-old had only recently returned from a knee injury suffered in April, raising fresh concerns over his fitness.

Argentina held their final training session ahead of the Jordan clash on Friday in Kansas City, but Romero did not take part in the opening 15 minutes that were accessible to the media.

The session began with a video analysis of Jordan before the squad moved to the gym and then the training pitch. Head coach Lionel Scaloni oversaw tactical drills, while his assistants conducted set-piece routines focused on free-kicks and corners.

Argentina will conclude their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J campaign against Jordan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.

The contest is effectively a dead rubber, with Lionel Messi's side having already secured top spot in the group after victories over Algeria and Austria.

Jordan, meanwhile, have been eliminated following successive defeats to Austria and Algeria, leaving Saturday's fixture with no bearing on the final Group J standings. (ANI)