2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16
Argentina 3-2 Egypt
Atlanta, United States: Defending champions Argentina produced a sensational late comeback to overturn a two-goal deficit and defeat Egypt 3-2, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after one of the tournament’s most dramatic Round of 16 encounters.
The reigning world champions appeared destined for a shock exit after a disciplined Egyptian side stormed into a 2-0 lead and even survived a Lionel Messi penalty early in the contest.
But Argentina’s champions’ pedigree shone through in a breathtaking final 15 minutes as Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez all found the net to complete an extraordinary turnaround and keep their World Cup title defence alive.
Egypt, seeking a historic first appearance in the World Cup quarter-finals, made the brighter start and were rewarded in the 15th minute.
Defender Yasser Ibrahim rose highest to power home a header and send the Pharaohs into an unlikely lead against Lionel Scaloni’s side.
Argentina were handed the perfect opportunity to respond six minutes later after winning a penalty, but goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced a magnificent save, diving low to his left to deny Messi from the spot.
The missed penalty appeared to sap Argentina’s confidence, while Egypt grew stronger and more organised as they frustrated the South Americans for the remainder of the first half.
Egypt moved to the brink of one of the greatest victories in their football history when Mostafa Zico doubled their advantage in the 67th minute.
The forward finished off a flowing counterattack orchestrated by Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan, sending Egyptian fans into wild celebrations as Argentina stared at an early exit.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, the African giants looked firmly in control.
Argentina fight back
The momentum shifted dramatically in the closing stages when Argentine defender Cristian Romero ignited the defending champions’ comeback in the 79th minute, heading home from Messi’s inviting delivery to reduce the deficit.
The goal breathed new life into the defending champions, who poured forward in search of an equaliser.
Five minutes later, Messi atoned for his earlier penalty miss by calmly firing past Shobeir to level the scores at 2-2.
With Egypt visibly tiring and extra time looming, Argentina continued pressing for a winner.
Their persistence paid off in stoppage time when Enzo Fernandez arrived inside the penalty area to score in the 92nd minute, completing an astonishing comeback and sealing a memorable victory.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Egypt earned widespread admiration for a spirited performance that pushed one of the tournament favourites to the limit.
The Pharaohs had entered the knockout stage after making history by defeating Australia on penalties to register their first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout victory, setting up a last-16 showdown with Argentina.
For long periods, they looked capable of eliminating the reigning champions before Argentina’s quality and experience proved decisive.
The victory keeps Argentina’s hopes of successfully defending the World Cup alive.
Scaloni’s men will now face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between Switzerland and Colombia as they continue their quest for a fourth FIFA World Cup title.
For Egypt, the campaign ends in disappointment but also with renewed belief after recording their best-ever World Cup run and coming within touching distance of a place in the last eight.
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