Lionel Messi inspired a breathtaking late surge as Argentina fought back from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in a dramatic World Cup last-16 tie at Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday, securing a quarter-final berth and keeping their title defence alive. The holders, who had trailed 2-0 with seven minutes remaining, scored three times in the final 15 minutes—including a stoppage-time winner from Enzo Fernández—to send shockwaves through the tournament and leave Egypt’s players and fans in stunned disbelief.

Messi, whose record World Cup tally reached 21 goals, was at the heart of the revival. After squandering an early penalty, the 39-year-old captain first teed up Cristian Romero’s 79th-minute header before, four minutes later, crashing home the equaliser with a powerful strike. His emotional celebration, tears streaming down his face, encapsulated a night of high drama in which Argentina’s resilience ultimately prevailed over Egypt’s gallant challenge. Fernández’s 92nd-minute header, following a swift counter-attack, sealed the win and sent the Argentine bench into raptures. “Sometimes the bigger teams do seem to get the benefit of the decisions,” admitted former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane on ITV, “but it shouldn’t take away from what Argentina have achieved.”

Egypt, who had led through goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico, felt aggrieved by two late penalty appeals turned down in added time and a first-half goal ruled out by VAR for a marginal foul on Lisandro Martínez. Coach Hossam Hassan accused officials of bias, telling reporters: “We were cheated out of a place in the quarter-finals.” The Egyptian Football Association later demanded a formal review, while social media erupted with accusations of a “fixed” game. “The world saw it,” striker Zico told rapid-response interviews, his voice trembling with emotion. “This was clearly a bought game.”

The victory sets up a quarter-final clash with the winner of Wednesday’s Switzerland-Colombia tie in Kansas City on Sunday. Argentina, who have now reached the last eight without playing at full strength, face a sterner test against either a resurgent Colombia side or a disciplined Swiss team missing injured star Johan Manzambi. Scaloni’s side, however, showed in Atlanta that their tournament pedigree and Messi’s genius can still conjure miracles when it matters most. “The football gods won’t deny us the absolute chicanery that will be Argentina v Colombia,” wrote Casiano Martinez in *The Guardian*’s live blog, capturing the febrile mood surrounding a side that continues to defy expectations.

For Egypt, the pain of a near-miracle undone will linger. Their campaign, the first time the Pharaohs had reached the knockout stages, ended in heartbreak and controversy. In Cairo, cafés fell silent as the final whistle confirmed elimination, while Hassan’s post-match tirade against referee François Letexier—who brandished a yellow card before the coach was later sent to the stands—only deepened the sense of injustice. “We have suffered an injustice,” Hassan told *La Repubblica*. “The referee was not calm; he was under pressure from Argentina.”

Messi, meanwhile, has now scored in four consecutive World Cups and added another indelible chapter to his legend. His penalty miss, his assist, his equaliser, and the tears that followed marked a night where football’s emotional extremes were laid bare. As the dust settles on Atlanta, one truth is clear: Argentina’s defence of their crown is far from over—and neither is the debate over whether VAR and refereeing decisions are tilting the field in the favour of the game’s biggest names.

Bluesky Threads

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16 sources12 countries

Geographic Origin14 located

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Articles

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bluesky_AFP English · about 2 hours ago

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