Argentina produced one of the great World Cup comebacks to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, scoring three times in the final 12 minutes, including a stoppage time winner, after trailing by two goals to reach the quarter finals.
Yasser Ibrahim headed Egypt into a first half lead, and Mostafa Ziko doubled the advantage in the 68th minute with a clinical finish after another rapid counter attack, this time surviving a VAR review for a foul in the build up. Argentina, who had also seen Lionel Messi’s first half penalty saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, looked to be heading out of the tournament with just over 20 minutes remaining.
The revival began in the 79th minute when substitute Cristian Romero headed home from a Messi cross to halt the Egyptian resistance. Messi levelled the scores five minutes later, watching his left footed shot burst through Shobeir’s grip and bounce over the line off the crossbar, his eighth goal of the tournament and a ninth consecutive World Cup appearance with a goal. Argentina then completed the turnaround in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Lautaro Martinez supplying an outstanding cross from the right for substitute Enzo Fernandez to guide a header into the far corner, sparking wild celebrations as Egypt protested in vain for a VAR intervention.
Messi was heavily involved throughout the late surge, providing the assist for Romero’s goal before turning provider again for Lautaro Martinez, who somehow headed a gilt edged chance wide. Head coach Lionel Scaloni was seen with his hands over his mouth in disbelief as Fernandez’s winner went in, the reaction of a manager who knew his side’s World Cup defence had been seconds from ending.
Egypt, appearing in their first World Cup round of 16 for decades, will rue a second half in which Mohamed Salah and Ibrahim Hassan repeatedly tore through a disjointed Argentina defence, with Salah playing a deeper, more physical role than usual to help drive his side forward. Shobeir, however, was the outstanding performer for long periods, saving Messi’s penalty and producing a string of fine stops before being unable to prevent the late collapse.
Argentina last came from behind to win a World Cup knockout match against Mexico in 2006, a game in which both Scaloni and a teenage Messi featured. Twenty years on, Messi again proved decisive, dragging his side through a match Argentina looked set to lose. The defending champions will face either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarter finals.
