James Robson
Updated ,first published
Atlanta: Lionel Messi did it yet again at this year’s World Cup.
The Argentina great scored another goal – his eighth of the tournament – and led his team to an improbable 3-2 victory over Egypt on Tuesday (Wednesday morning AEST) despite trailing by two with only 11 minutes of regulation time to play.
The defending champions will next face either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri.
Messi, who was in tears after the final whistle, scored his record-extending 21st goal at the World Cup in the 83rd minute to level the score at 2-2.
Enzo Fernandez scored the winning goal in stoppage time to complete one of the great World Cup comebacks. Cristian Romero started the rally in the 79th minute.
“This is a phenomenal group that never gives up,” Fernandez said. “Four years have passed since Qatar, and we’ve come to enjoy another World Cup – and we want to win it again. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Argentina had trailed 2-0 on goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico.
Messi also missed a chance in the first half when his penalty kick was saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir. He later hit the post when the score was 1-0.
Argentina is bidding to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Brazil did so in 1958 and 1962.
“I’m so emotional,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “What a group of players, brother.”
For much of the game, it looked like it would be a painful exit for the 39-year-old Messi in what might be the last of his six World Cups.
Egypt took a surprising lead in the 15th minute when Ibrahim got ahead of Lisandro Martinez to meet Marwan Attia’s cross and head the ball into the bottom corner.
Argentina was quickly given the chance to level the match when Haissem Hassan tripped Nicolas Tagliafico in the box moments later. Referee François Letexier pointed to the penalty spot and Messi stepped up with an expectant crowd waiting for him to score.
Shobeir had other ideas, diving to his left to block the shot for Messi’s second penalty miss of the tournament after also failing from the spot against Austria in the group stage.
Despite being the all-time leading scorer at World Cups, Messi has now missed four of eight penalty kicks at the tournament.
After Messi hit the post later in the half, Shobeir pulled off another great save to stop Julian Alvarez from close range.
Egypt thought it had doubled its lead in the second half when Mostafa Zico finished off a sweeping attack. But the wild celebrations were cut short when a foul earlier in the move was confirmed on video review and the goal was disallowed.
That second goal for Egypt did come in the 67th from a similar break, and this time Zico’s effort counted. It just wasn’t enough.
