Argentina produced a breathtaking late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a dramatic round of 16 clash, booking their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after overturning a two-goal deficit at Atlanta Stadium.
The reigning world champions looked destined for a shock exit as Egypt delivered one of their finest performances of the tournament, with Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico giving the Pharaohs a commanding lead before a remarkable Argentine fightback turned the match on its head.
Egypt stunned the South American giants early when Yasser Ibrahim rose highest to head home and give his side a deserved advantage.
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Goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir then emerged as Egypt’s hero, producing a string of outstanding saves to frustrate Argentina. The shot-stopper denied Lionel Messi from the penalty spot after Nicolas Tagliafico won a spot-kick and later kept out efforts from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez.
The Pharaohs thought they had doubled their lead just before the hour mark when Mostafa Zico found the net after brilliant work by Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan, but the goal was ruled out following a foul in the build-up.
Egypt refused to be discouraged and soon made it 2-0. A swift counter-attack orchestrated by Salah and Hassan ended with Zico calmly finishing to send the Egyptian supporters into celebration.
With Argentina facing elimination, defender Christian Romero sparked hopes of a comeback by pulling one goal back.
Moments later, captain Lionel Messi produced a moment of brilliance with a clinical finish to level the scores and swing the momentum firmly in Argentina’s favour.
The comeback was completed when Enzo Fernandez struck the decisive goal late in the game, sealing a thrilling 3-2 victory and breaking Egyptian hearts.
Argentina now advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between Switzerland and Colombia.