Egypt were just minutes away from one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, until Argentina unleashed a devastating late comeback to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Argentina produced a stunning comeback and storm into the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday.
The defending champions trailed 2-0 before scoring three unanswered goals from the 79th minute onward to book a place in the quarterfinals.
Lionel Messi scored his eighth goal of the tournament, moving him ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.
The match, broadcast live on Telemundo and Peacock, drew 71,328 spectators to Atlanta and was played under warm, clear conditions.
Egypt took the lead in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim headed home a cross from Marwan Attia.
Argentina were handed a chance to equalize in the 21st minute after a penalty was awarded, but Messi’s effort was saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir.
That miss marked the second consecutive World Cup penalty Messi had failed to convert outside of a shootout.
Egypt doubled their advantage in the 67th minute through Mostafa Ziko, who finished after a quick counterattack involving Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan.
An earlier Egyptian goal had been ruled out by VAR for a foul in the buildup, a decision that sparked debate during the broadcast.
At halftime, Egypt led 1-0 and Argentina were facing their first deficit of the 2026 tournament.
The second half began with Argentina pressing for an equalizer, but Shoubir continued to stand tall with several key saves.
With time running out, Argentina’s comeback began in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero headed in a cross from Messi.
Four minutes later, Messi redeemed himself by volleying in from the right side of the box after the ball bounced off the crossbar.
The goal was Messi’s tournament-leading eighth and extended his streak of scoring in five straight World Cup matches.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez headed in a cross from Lautaro Martinez to complete the turnaround and make it 3-2.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations as Argentina survived what may be their toughest test of the tournament so far.
Coach Lionel Scaloni praised his team’s resilience after having also needed extra time to overcome Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
For Egypt, the loss was a bitter end to a brave campaign that saw them reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2014.
Coach Hossam Hassan had said before the match that Egypt were “no underdogs,” citing the country’s long football history.
Statistically, Argentina finished with 58% possession, 17 shots and 7 on target compared to Egypt’s 4 shots and 2 on target.
The result means Argentina advance to face the winner of Switzerland versus Colombia, scheduled for later Tuesday.
Apart from leading the Golden Boot standings, Messi has scored in every match Argentina has played at this World Cup.
Argentina produced a stunning comeback and storm into the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday.
The defending champions trailed 2-0 before scoring three unanswered goals from the 79th minute onward to book a place in the quarterfinals.
Lionel Messi scored his eighth goal of the tournament, moving him ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.
The match, broadcast live on Telemundo and Peacock, drew 71,328 spectators to Atlanta and was played under warm, clear conditions.
Egypt took the lead in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim headed home a cross from Marwan Attia.
Argentina were handed a chance to equalize in the 21st minute after a penalty was awarded, but Messi’s effort was saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir.
That miss marked the second consecutive World Cup penalty Messi had failed to convert outside of a shootout.
Egypt doubled their advantage in the 67th minute through Mostafa Ziko, who finished after a quick counterattack involving Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan.
An earlier Egyptian goal had been ruled out by VAR for a foul in the buildup, a decision that sparked debate during the broadcast.
At halftime, Egypt led 1-0 and Argentina were facing their first deficit of the 2026 tournament.
The second half began with Argentina pressing for an equalizer, but Shoubir continued to stand tall with several key saves.
With time running out, Argentina’s comeback began in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero headed in a cross from Messi.
Four minutes later, Messi redeemed himself by volleying in from the right side of the box after the ball bounced off the crossbar.
The goal was Messi’s tournament-leading eighth and extended his streak of scoring in five straight World Cup matches.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez headed in a cross from Lautaro Martinez to complete the turnaround and make it 3-2.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations as Argentina survived what may be their toughest test of the tournament so far.
Coach Lionel Scaloni praised his team’s resilience after having also needed extra time to overcome Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
For Egypt, the loss was a bitter end to a brave campaign that saw them reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2014.
Coach Hossam Hassan had said before the match that Egypt were “no underdogs,” citing the country’s long football history.
Statistically, Argentina finished with 58% possession, 17 shots and 7 on target compared to Egypt’s 4 shots and 2 on target.
The result means Argentina advance to face the winner of Switzerland versus Colombia, scheduled for later Tuesday.
Apart from leading the Golden Boot standings, Messi has scored in every match Argentina has played at this World Cup.
