FIFA World Cup | Messi-inspired Argentina pulls off a wild escape against Egypt

For close to 80 minutes, Argentina’s World Cup was slipping away, inch by inch. Lionel Messi had missed a penalty, Egypt had defended with poise and countered with menace, and the defending champion was two goals down inside a stadium that had spent the whole morning singing its captain’s name.

Then, in the space of a breathless final stretch, the game changed. Cristian Romero pulled one back, Messi restored parity, and deep into stoppage time Enzo Fernandez arrived with the winner as Argentina beat Egypt 3-2, turning a near-certain elimination into one of this World Cup’s wildest escapes.

The stadium had been blue and white long before kick-off. Two hours before the noon start, supporters were already filling the climate-controlled dome, turning it into a shrine of Messi. Egypt, though, was not cowed by the noise or the occasion and Hossam Hassan’s side won the early midfield duels to disrupt Argentina’s rhythm.

Argentina vs Egypt, FIFA World Cup Highlights

Its reward came in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim stole in front of Lisandro Martinez to power a header into the top-right corner, beyond the reach of a rooted Emiliano Martinez.

Argentina had the chance to respond in eight minutes when Nicolas Tagliafico was brought down inside the box by Mohamed Hassan. The stadium rose, expecting the familiar script. Instead, Mostafa Shobeir dived low to his left and pushed Messi’s penalty away.

There was the gasp of disbelief, but not the sound of a crowd turning on its idol. The blue-and-white banks answered with a fresh chant, as if to sing out the hurt of Messi.

After the hydration break, Shobeir again reacted sharply to keep out Alexis Mac Allister’s header and then flung out a strong hand to turn Julian Alvarez’s skidding shot around the post.

Argentina players scoring a goal
| Photo Credit:
Imagn Images via REUTERS

In the 58th minute, Hassan glided in from the right to link with Mohamed Salah and release Zico to finish beyond Emiliano, only for VAR to intervene. But the warning was not heeded. Moments later, from an Argentine corner, Salah gathered possession in his own half and burst away, carrying the ball beyond Romero before slipping Hassan free. The Egyptian drifted inside to find the onrushing Zico, who hammered his finish past Emiliano to put Egypt further ahead.

With 10 minutes left, Romero turned his header through Shobeir’s grasp to reduce the deficit. Messi then slalomed past two defenders from the right and almost equalised, only for a desperate clearance to spare Egypt.

The reprieve, though, lasted barely a minute. In the 83rd, Gonzalo Montiel cushioned Lautaro’s cross into Messi’s path and, the captain lashed his finish past Shobeir.

Egypt’s Mostafa Zico scores his team’s second goal
| Photo Credit:
AP

Egypt still had one last attack left in it, but as Salah was dispossessed near the Argentine box, the ball was worked forward quickly, and a floated delivery found Enzo rising above the red shirt to head home the winner.

For Egypt, it was a defeat that would hurt more because it had been earned so well. Argentina, untidy and vulnerable for long stretches, had stitched together another escape.