Round of 16
Argentina 3-2 Egypt
For most of this game it was Egypt that was leading the dance, not Argentina.
Egypt led 2-0 and were minutes away from one of the biggest surprise wins ever.
But Lionel Messi refused to let the champions go out, and helped them come back to a 3-2 win with the winning goal scored in the last minutes of the game.
How the match went
The world champions were 11 minutes from being knocked out.
That is how close Egypt came to shocking everyone.
Egypt started the braver of the 2 teams and took the lead early.
In the 15th minute their defender Yasser Ibrahim scored with a header to make it 1-0.
Then came the moment that told you this was Egypt's day.
In the 21st minute Argentina won a penalty, which is a free shot from the spot after a foul.
Lionel Messi took it, but Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir guessed the right way and saved it.
By the way let's highlight that Shoubir was superb all night, and that save gave Egypt real confidence they could create a huge upset here.
So it was still 1-0 to Egypt at half-time, and the underdogs were in control.
Then Egypt got the goal that nearly made history.
In the 67th minute Mostafa Zico scored to make it 2-0.
Now Egypt were 2 goals up and about 20 minutes from a historical win.
But a team with Messi in it is never truly beaten.
In the 79th minute Messi sent in a cross and defender Cristian Romero scored with a header to make it 2-1.
Suddenly the champions were back in the game, and now it was Egypt who were nervous.
Then in the 83rd minute Messi scored himself to make it 2-2.
That was his 8th goal of the tournament, and he is now the top scorer of the competition with 8 goals in total already.
And the drama was not done yet.
The shock came in the 90+2 minute when Enzo Fernandez scored with his head to make it 3-2 to Argentina.
So Egypt were seconds from the quarter-finals, and then it was gone.
The champions survived, but Egypt pushed them right to the edge.
Key moments
- ⚽ 15' Ibrahim (Egypt)
- ⚽ 67' Zico (Egypt)
- ⚽ 79' Romero (Argentina)
- ⚽ 83' Messi (Argentina)
- ⚽ 90+2' Enzo Fernández (Argentina)
Goals in the order they were scored.
- Date
- Tuesday, July 7
- Kickoff Time
- 12:00 (New York time)
- Stage
- Round of 16
What's next for Argentina?
Argentina are through to the quarter-finals, but this was a huge scare.
They were 2 goals down and looked out, and only Lionel Messi saved them.
Next they play Switzerland in the quarter-final on July 11.
Switzerland are hard to get past at the back, so Argentina will need to be far better than they played today if they want a chance to reach the semi-finals.
That is the end of this World Cup for Egypt
Egypt are out, and this one is going to hurt for a long time.
They led 2-0 and were minutes from one of the biggest wins in their history.
But their goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir was brilliant, and they pushed the champions to the very edge.
So they go home with great pride, even if it feels cruel right now.
Common questions
What was the final score of Argentina vs Egypt?
Argentina won 3-2. Egypt led 2-0, but Argentina scored 3 times late through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez to win it.
Did Messi miss a penalty against Egypt?
Yes. Messi took a penalty in the 21st minute, but Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir saved it. Messi later scored from open play in the 83rd minute.
How many goals has Messi scored at this World Cup?
Messi has scored 8 goals so far, the most of any player at the tournament. His latest was in the 83rd minute against Egypt.