Atlanta: Lionel Messi overcame the disappointment of a missed penalty by scoring a crucial equaliser as defending champions Argentina produced a remarkable late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, sealing a place in the quarter-finals.
Trailing 2-0 with just over 10 minutes remaining, Argentina scored three goals in the final 13 minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Defender Cristian Romero sparked the revival in the 79th minute before Messi levelled the score six minutes from full time. Midfielder Enzo Fernández then completed the dramatic turnaround with the winning goal in the second minute of stoppage time.
Egypt appeared on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after Yasser Ibrahim headed them into the lead in the 15th minute. Argentina had an early chance to equalise, but Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier brilliantly saved Messi’s penalty after Nicolás Tagliafico was fouled inside the box.
Shobier’s save made him only the fourth goalkeeper in FIFA World Cup history to stop two penalties in a single tournament, having earlier denied Iran’s Mehdi Taremi. He also produced several outstanding saves to keep out efforts from Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez during the first half.
Egypt thought they had doubled their advantage midway through the opening half when Mostafa Zico found the net, but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up. However, Zico eventually extended Egypt’s lead in the 67th minute, putting the African side within touching distance of a historic quarter-final berth.
Argentina responded with urgency. Romero reduced the deficit before Messi, who had earlier missed from the spot, redeemed himself by scoring the equaliser in the 84th minute. With extra time looming, Fernández struck deep into injury time to complete a memorable comeback and send Argentina through to the last eight, where they will face Switzerland.
Messi’s goal was his eighth of the tournament, moving him ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot. The Argentine captain also extended his remarkable World Cup tally to 21 goals across six editions of the tournament, further cementing his place among football’s greatest players.
Reflecting on his performance, an emotional Messi apologised for his missed penalty but expressed pride in the team’s resilience.
“I can’t even look up. I’m sorry. I’m very emotional right now. We have an incredible group of players, and now we just have to keep moving forward,” he said after the match.
Match-winner Enzo Fernández credited Argentina’s fighting spirit for the dramatic turnaround.
“I had been waiting for my first goal of this World Cup since Qatar. I thank God for this moment. We have an outstanding group of players who never give up, no matter how difficult the situation becomes. We always stand together as a team,” Fernández said.
Argentina’s thrilling comeback not only preserved their title defence but also reinforced their reputation as one of the tournament favourites, with Messi once again proving decisive on football’s biggest stage despite an early setback.
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