Argentina mounted one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Cup history to eliminate Egypt from the tournament, rallying from a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 in their round of 16 clash in Atlanta. Egypt looked poised for a stunning upset after Yasser Ibrahim’s 15th-minute header and Mostafa Zico’s 67th-minute counterattack strike put the African giants in firm control. The comeback marked the first time in World Cup history a team won a knockout match in regulation after trailing by two goals in the 75th minute.
Egypt had already made history before kickoff by becoming the first Pharaohs side to reach the World Cup’s round of 16. The record seven-time African champions struck early when Ibrahim overpowered Lisandro Martinez to head home the opener. Argentina’s frustration mounted when Lionel Messi had a first-half penalty saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir and later hit the post with a curling free kick. Zico appeared to double the lead earlier but had a goal ruled out after a VAR review found a foul in the buildup before eventually netting a legitimate second.
Argentina’s response was nothing short of miraculous. Cristian Romero bundled home a close-range goal in the 79th minute to cut the deficit, before Messi redeemed his earlier miss by lashing in a stunning half-volley just four minutes later. With the stadium roaring, Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround in the second minute of stoppage time, heading home what proved to be the 3,000th goal in World Cup history.
Messi extended his record of scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches dating back to the 2022 title run. His eighth goal of the tournament puts him one clear of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race. Argentina advances to face Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals, keeping their bid to become back-to-back world champions alive.
