The Round of 16 clash in Atlanta appeared to be slipping away from Lionel Messi’s side after Egypt established a commanding lead early in the second half. But a late surge led by the Argentine captain transformed the contest, with Enzo Fernández scoring deep into stoppage time to complete a remarkable turnaround.

For long periods, Egypt looked on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

The African side stunned Argentina in the 15th minute when Yasser Ibrahim rose highest inside the box to head home and put his team ahead. The goal gave Egypt confidence, while Argentina struggled to find a breakthrough despite enjoying large spells of possession.

Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier emerged as Egypt’s standout performer during the first half. He denied several Argentine opportunities and frustrated the South American side with a string of important saves.

Messi, Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez all saw promising chances kept out as Egypt held firm under pressure and carried their advantage into the break.

The challenge facing Argentina became even greater in the second half.

After surviving several waves of Argentine attacks, Egypt struck again in the 62nd minute. Mostafa Zico found the net to double his side’s lead and send Egyptian supporters into celebration. At that stage, Argentina were staring at a shock exit from a tournament they entered as one of the favourites.

Egypt had earlier seen another goal disallowed for a foul in the build-up, but the setback did little to affect their momentum. With a 2-0 advantage and less than half an hour remaining, the underdogs appeared to have one foot in the quarter-finals.

What followed was a reminder of why Argentina remain one of the most feared teams in world football.

Refusing to panic, Lionel Scaloni’s side increased the tempo and pushed more players forward. Their persistence finally paid off in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero reduced the deficit after a move initiated by Messi.

The goal injected fresh energy into the Argentine attack and shifted the momentum of the match.

Just four minutes later, Messi delivered again.

The Argentine captain latched onto a long pass from Lautaro Martínez and calmly finished to level the score at 2-2. The equaliser sparked celebrations among Argentine fans and left Egypt struggling to regain control of the contest.

With extra time looming, Argentina continued searching for a winner.

Their decisive moment arrived in the third minute of stoppage time. Midfielder Enzo Fernández found space inside the attacking third and produced a clinical finish to complete the comeback, sealing a dramatic 3-2 victory.

The late strike ended Egypt’s resistance and ensured Argentina avoided one of the biggest shocks of the World Cup.

The comeback also highlighted Argentina’s ability to respond under pressure. It was the first time since their 2018 Round of 16 defeat to France that Argentina had conceded in the opening half of a World Cup knockout match. Yet instead of fading, the defending champions showed resilience, attacking intent and belief when it mattered most.

For Egypt, the result was heartbreaking. After leading by two goals and defending impressively for much of the contest, they came within minutes of a historic quarter-final appearance before Argentina’s late surge changed the outcome.

Argentina now advance to the quarter-finals with renewed confidence, while Egypt leave the tournament knowing they pushed the reigning world champions to the limit in one of the most memorable matches of FIFA World Cup 2026.