Argentina beats Egypt 3-2 to reach World Cup quarterfinals

Argentina beats Egypt 3-2 to reach World Cup quarterfinals

Argentina overcame a two-goal deficit in the final 11 minutes of a Round of 16 match to defeat Egypt 3-2 on Tuesday at Atlanta Stadium. The victory allows the defending champions to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face either Colombia or Switzerland on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri.

Egypt appeared poised for one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, utilizing a counterattacking strategy that left Argentina trailing for the majority of the contest. Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a header from a Marwan Attia cross that beat Lisandro Martinez to the ball. Argentina's attempt to respond quickly failed in the 19th minute when Lionel Messi had a penalty kick saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir. The penalty was awarded after Haissem Hassan tripped Nicolas Tagliafico in the box.

Shobeir continued to frustrate the world champions throughout the first half, denying Julian Alvarez from close range and saving efforts from Alexis Mac Allister and Alvarez. Messi also hit the post with a free kick in the 31st minute. The first half ended with Egypt leading, marking the first time since the 2010 World Cup that Argentina trailed at the halftime break.

The second half remained tense as Egypt attempted to double its lead. Mostafa Zico scored on a counterattack in the 58th minute, but the goal was disallowed by VAR due to an earlier foul on Lisandro Martinez. Zico eventually found the net in the 67th minute following work from Hassan, putting Egypt up 2-0.

Argentina’s comeback began in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero headed in a cross from Messi. Four minutes later, Messi leveled the score in the 83rd minute with a first-time strike. The goal was his eighth of the tournament and his record-extending 21st career World Cup goal. In the 92nd minute, Enzo Fernandez scored a header into the far corner to secure the 3-2 win.

Despite the victory, Argentina struggled in several areas. Argentina dominated the expected goals (xG) 2.8 to 0.98, but the defense was described by The Athletic as a sieve for long stretches. Additionally, Messi has now missed four of eight penalty kicks in this tournament, including the miss against Egypt and a previous failure against Austria in the group stage.

The emotional toll of the match was evident after the whistle. Messi was seen in tears, while coach Lionel Scaloni expressed his emotions regarding the group of players. Fernandez highlighted the team's resolve and their ambition to repeat their success from Qatar four years ago.

"This is a phenomenal group that never gives up. Four years have passed since Qatar, and we’ve come to enjoy another World Cup — and we want to win it again. That’s what we’re aiming for."

Enzo Fernández, player, via LA Times

Argentina is now attempting to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil achieved the feat in 1958 and 1962. This match followed a difficult round of 32 game against Cape Verde, which Argentina won via an own goal in extra time.

Egypt, the oldest African national team, had never won a World Cup match before this tournament. They reached the Round of 16 by defeating Australia on penalties and remained unbeaten until Tuesday's collapse.