What a way to suffer: Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2 with an epic comeback and advanced to the quarter-finals

After the second everyone thought we were done for; a grave mistake. In a match where Egypt surprised not only at the start but also by extending the lead, the Argentine National Team, with the drive and grit that Lionel Scaloni highlighted beforehand, turned it around at the end 3-2 and qualified for the quarter-finals.

The match would start with divided possession and isolated chances from both sides. The one to break the mold would be the African team, which in its first truly dangerous chance would send the ball to the back of the net. At 14, Marwan Ateya would cross for Yasser Ibrahim, who would outmaneuver Lisandro Martínez and head it in for 1-0.

Shortly after, the Albiceleste would get an unbeatable chance to equalize: a penalty. At 18, Haissem Hassan would bring down Nicolás Tagliafico and the referee would award the penalty. The one to take the shot from twelve yards would be Lionel Messi, but his attempt would be saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir Oufa.

Despite the bitter experience of being behind and missing the chance to equalize, the national team would not give up and would create some dangerous chances to level the match as soon as possible. Among them, a header from Alexis Mac Allister at 27 that Shobeir Oufa would save, a free kick from Messi at 30 that would hit the left post, and a dangerous shot from Julián Álvarez at 38 that the Egyptian goalkeeper would deflect.

In the second half, while Argentina would control possession and offensive advances, Egypt would do more damage with little. At 58, Hassan would make a personal run down the right flank, shaking off several defenders along the way, and would pass to Mohamed Salah, who would assist a Zico that would beat Dibu Martínez to score 2-0. However, the goal would be disallowed for a previous foul by Karim Hafez on Licha Martínez.

From this play, the Pharaohs would realize they could cause quite a bit of damage playing on the counter, and that’s what they would do. At 66, again on the counter, Mohamed Salah would drive up to three-quarters of the field and open up to Hassan, who would touch it to the middle for a Zico who would just have to push it in to now increase the lead.

After several minutes of anguish and uncertainty, the National Team would achieve a goal back. At 78, Messi would cross for Cuti Romero, who would head in to make it 2-1.

And the momentum wouldn’t stop there, as the GOAT himself at 83, after a series of rebounds in the area, would blast the hands of Shobeir Oufa with a powerful left-footed shot to score the hard-fought equalizer 2-2.

At the end of the match, when it seemed everything was heading towards extra time, the Albiceleste would turn the story around. At 91, after a recovery in their own half, Álvarez would send a long pass on the counter for the substituted Lautaro Martínez, who would find the head of Enzo Fernández to seal the final 3-2.

With this agonizing victory, the Argentine National Team advanced to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the match between Colombia and Switzerland, on Saturday, July 11 at 22:00 (Argentine time) at the Arrowhead Stadium in Dallas City.