For most of a blazing Atlanta afternoon, Argentina looked like a champion bound in chains, its World Cup title defence sinking beneath Egypt’s discipline, courage and counter-attacking game. Lionel Messi had missed from the spot, the holders were two goals down, and seemed to have run out of tricks. And then, like a Houdini’s act, Christian Romero, Messi and finally Enzo Fernández, prised Argentina out of a box it had no right to escape and into the quarterfinals with a 3-2 win.
FOLLOW HIGHLIGHTS | ARG vs EGY Round of 16 FIFA-World-Cup-2026
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium had been blue and white long before kick-off. By 10am, two hours before the noon start, supporters were already filing the climate-controlled dome, turning it into a shrine of Messi. Egypt, though, was not cowed by the noise or the occasion and Hossam Hassan’s side won the early midfield duels to disrupt Argentina’s rhythm.
Its reward came in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim got in front of Lisandro Martínez to power a header into the top-right corner, beyond the reach of a rooted Emiliano Martínez. Argentina had the chance to respond in eight minutes when Nicolás Tagliafico was brought down inside the box by Haissem Hassan. The stadium rose, expecting the familiar script. Instead, Mostafa Shobeir dived low to his left and pushed Messi’s penalty away.
Lionel Messi also broke Diego Maradona’s record for most assists at the FIFA World Cup during the game against Egypt. | Photo Credit: AP
There was the gasp of disbelief, but not the sound of a crowd turning on its idol. The blue-and-white banks answered with a fresh chant, as if to sing out the hurt of Messi. After the hydration break, Shobeir again reacted sharply to keep out Alexis MacAllister’s header and then flung out a strong hand to turn Julián Álvarez’s skidding shot around the post.
In the 58th minute, Hassan glided in from the right to link with Mohamed Salah and release Mostafa Ziko to finish beyond Emiliano Martínez, only for VAR to intervene. But the warning was not heeded. Moments later, from an Argentine corner, Salah gathered possession in his own half and burst away, carrying the ball beyond Romero before slipping Hassan free. The Egyptian drifted inside to find the onrushing Ziko, who hammered his finish past Emiliano to put Egypt further ahead.
With 10 minutes left, Romero turned his header through Shobeir’s grasp to reduce the deficit. Messi then slalomed past two defenders from the right and almost equalised, only for a desperate clearance to spare Egypt. The reprieve, though, lasted barely a minute. In the 83rd, Goncalo Montiel cushioned Lautaro Martínez cross into Messi’s path and the captain lashed his finish past Shobeir.
𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩! 🔊🔊
Atlanta erupts as Argentina stages a remarkable comeback from 0-2 down to defeat Egypt and keep its hopes of another World Cup title alive 🤯
📹: Ayon Sengupta#ARGvsEGY#FIFAWorldCup#Argentinapic.twitter.com/6aLFCnHCAM
Egypt still had one last attack left in it, but as Salah was dispossessed near the Argentine box, the ball was worked forward quickly, and a floated delivery from Lautaro found Enzo evading the red shirt to head home the winner.
For Egypt, it was a defeat that would hurt more because it had been earned so well. Argentina, untidy and vulnerable for long stretches, had stitched together another escape.
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Published on Jul 08, 2026