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It was another epic World Cup match from an Argentine team that simply doesn’t know when it’s beaten.
Trailing 2-0 against Egypt with 11 minutes left in regulation on Tuesday, the defending champions rallied to claim an improbable 3-2 victory and a place in the quarterfinals.
“We have a phenomenal group, a group that never gives up despite difficulties and adversities. We are always together,” said Enzo Fernández, scorer of the winning goal in added time.
Argentina will play either Switzerland or Colombia in the next round on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri.
For much of Tuesday’s match, it looked like it would be a painful exit for 39-year-old Lionel Messi in what could be the last of his six World Cups.
Egypt took the lead after goals in each half from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico and could have gone ahead 3-0 if not for a video review that ruled out another score.
Argentina looked down and out, their bid to be the first team to win back-to-back world titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 all but dead.
Cue a monumental comeback.
“The heart of Argentinians is always something that pushes, that we keep going no matter what happens, that we give everything until the end. And honestly, with the score 2-0, we seemed a little defeated,” said Argentine forward Julián Álvarez. “There is little time left, but we always manage to get something more by fighting until the end.”
Cristian Romero began the comeback by scoring with a header in the 79th minute. Messi, who was crying after the final whistle, scored his eighth goal of the tournament and his record 21st in the World Cup in the 83rd to level the score at 2-2 and Fernandez completed the comeback in stoppage time.
“Four years have passed since Qatar and we have come to enjoy another World Cup, and we want to win it again. That is what we aspire to,” Fernández said.
Argentina is no stranger to heroic matches in the World Cup.
There was a 3-2 win over West Germany in the 1986 final. Then the 3-3 draw and eventual penalty shootout victory against France to regain the title four years ago.
Cape Verde pushed Argentina to the limit in the final round before finally winning 3-2 in extra time.
Tuesday’s game was even more dramatic: Messi had a penalty saved in the first half and another shot hit the post.
“I’m very excited,” said Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni. “What a group of players, brother.”
Enzo Fernández scored the winning goal in extra time for Argentina in the round of 16. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Egypt took a surprising lead in the 15th minute when Ibrahim got ahead of Lisandro Martínez to receive a cross from Marwan Attia and head the ball into the bottom corner.
Argentina quickly had the chance to level the match when Haissem Hassan derailed Nicolás Tagliafico in the box moments later. Referee François Letexier pointed to the penalty spot and Messi approached with an expectant crowd waiting for him to score.
Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir had other ideas, diving to his left to block Messi’s second missed penalty of the tournament after also missing from the spot against Austria in the group stage.
Despite being the all-time leading scorer in World Cups, Messi has missed four of eight penalty kicks in the tournament.
After Messi hit the post later in the half, Shobeir made another great save to stop Julián Álvarez from close range.
Egypt thought they had doubled their lead in the second half when Mostafa Zico finished off a great attack. But the wild celebrations were cut short when a foul earlier in the play was confirmed on video review and the goal was disallowed.
That second goal for Egypt came in the 67th minute on a similar break, and this time Zico’s effort counted. It just wasn’t enough.
Information from The Associated Press.
