Argentina completes remarkable turnaround to reach last eight

Argentina reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta after completing a stunning second-half recovery to beat Egypt 3-2. The reigning world champions trailed 2-0 for much of the match but produced three goals in the final 11 minutes to keep their title defence alive.

Yasser Ibrahim put Egypt ahead after 15 minutes, and Mostafa Zico doubled the lead in the 67th minute, leaving the three-time winners on the brink of a shock elimination. Argentina struggled during the first half, notably when Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick following a foul on Nicolas Tagliafico. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir delivered a standout performance, making several key saves to frustrate the Argentine attack.

The match shifted in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero scored a header to reduce the deficit. Messi equalised five minutes later, netting his 21st career World Cup goal by slamming a loose ball into the corner of the net. In the 92nd minute, Enzo Fernandez headed home a cross from Lautaro Martinez to secure the victory.

Controversy emerged in the closing moments as Egypt players and staff protested after referee Francois Letexier declined to award a penalty for a challenge on Mohamed Salah. Moments after that play, Argentina launched the decisive counter-attack that led to the winning goal.

This result sets up a quarter-final match for Argentina against Switzerland. Despite the defeat, Egypt exits the tournament after a performance that nearly eliminated the top-seeded squad in front of 68,239 spectators. With this goal, Messi became the first player in tournament history to score in 6 consecutive knockout-stage matches.

-BBC