Argentina Comes Back to Beat Egypt 3–2

Lionel Messi and the defending World Cup champions’ dreams for back-to-back victories survive into the quarter-finals.

After 90 minutes and nearly 20 minutes of combined stoppage time, Argentina came back from a two-goal deficit to eliminate Egypt 3–2 on July 7.

The round of 16 match in Atlanta did not appear to favor Argentina. Their opponents got on the scoreboard first, with a touch and goal from Yasser Ibrahim fifteen minutes into the game.

That touch ended up being the only touch the Pharaohs would have in their attacking zone and one of only two shots taken in the first half. But it was enough to send them into half-time with a 1–0 lead, the first time the world champions found themselves trailing in a match this World Cup.

Argentina returned to the pitch having lost all four of their previous World Cup matches in which they found themselves down a goal, and their hopes of winning were further deteriorated about halfway through the second half. A charging header from Egypt’s Mostafa Zico made it 2-0 at the 67th minute.

But Messi finally got his team tied up with less than 10 minutes left in the game. First, his pass to Cristian Romero at 79 minutes made it 2–1, and then he would get the equalizer at 83 minutes, finding the ball down deep in front of the net and launching the ball off the goalkeeper’s gloves, off the crossbar, and across the line.

Seven minutes of stoppage time after the 90-minute mark was more than enough time to give Enzo Fernández a chance to give Argentina a 3–2 lead, coming just two minutes in.

Most of Egypt’s hopes for a spot in the quarterfinals came down to goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, who shut Messi out for more than 80 minutes of play. That included stopping both a penalty kick and a long free kick on goal in the first half.

Shobeir would make four saves throughout the game, facing a total of 15 shots on goal while his teammates blocked another four.

Egypt’s 10 other men on the pitch, though, would make the most of their limited opportunities to get past goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. Two goals came off of only five shots on net. Martinez did not record a single save during the match.

The Pharaohs also emerged as the more physical team, having a third goal early in the second half called back due to a foul committed at the start of the attack. They also earned four yellow cards.

Egypt’s defeat leaves Morocco as the only African nation to make it to the quarter finals after nine of the 10 qualifying teams from the continent made it to the Round of 32.

Argentina will face either Switzerland or Colombia at 8 p.m. CT in Kansas City on July 11. That opponent will be decided in a match set for 1 p.m. PT on July 7 in Vancouver.