ATLANTA (AP): Argentina once again showed why they remain among the hardest sides to finish off at a World Cup. Down 2-0 to Egypt with only 11 minutes of normal time remaining yesterday, the holders clawed back a 3-2 win and advanced to the quarter-finals.
“We have a phenomenal group, a group that never gives up, no matter the difficulties and adversity. We’re always together,” said Enzo Fernandez, who struck the decisive goal in stoppage time.
For long stretches, the contest appeared set to end Lionel Messi’s campaign on a sour note. The 39-year-old, contesting what could be the final of his six World Cups, watched Egypt seize control through first- and second-half strikes from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico. A third Egyptian goal was wiped out by video review, sparing Argentina an even steeper climb.
Their pursuit of becoming the first nation to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 looked finished. Then the fightback arrived.
“The heart of Argentinians is always something that pushes, that we keep going no matter what, that we give everything until the end. And, honestly, with the score 2-0, we looked a bit beaten,” Argentina forward Julian Alvarez said. “There was little time left, but we always manage to get something more by fighting until the end.”
Cristian Romero sparked the recovery with a headed goal in the 79th minute. Messi, who wept after the whistle, then found the net in the 83rd — his eighth strike of this tournament and a record-extending 21st at World Cup finals — to make it 2-2. Fernandez finished the turnaround in injury time.
Dramatic nights are familiar territory for Argentina on this stage. They beat West Germany 3-2 in the 1986 final, drew 3-3 with France before winning on penalties to reclaim the crown four years ago, and needed extra time to edge Cape Verde 3-2 in the previous round. Yesterday’s encounter carried even more tension: Messi saw a first-half penalty stopped and later struck the woodwork.
Egypt went ahead in the 15th minute when Ibrahim rose ahead of Lisandro Martinez to meet Marwan Attia’s delivery and nod the ball into the bottom corner. Argentina almost replied at once after Haissem Hassan brought down Nicolas Tagliafico in the area. Referee François Letexier awarded a spot kick, and Messi took it before a expectant crowd. Egypt keeper Mostafa Shobeir dived left and denied him — Messi’s second failed penalty of the tournament after a miss against Austria in the group phase. Despite ranking as the competition’s all-time top scorer, Messi has now failed with four of his eight World Cup penalties.
Later in the opening period Messi hit the post, and Shobeir produced another fine stop to keep out Alvarez from close range. Egypt believed they had made it 2-0 in the second half when Zico converted a flowing move, only for video officials to disallow the goal for an earlier foul. The second Egyptian strike did arrive in the 67th minute from a comparable counter, and this time Zico’s finish stood. It still proved insufficient.
“We looked better compared to the reigning champions. We were better in everything, but the result,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said.
Syndicated from Jamaica Star · originally published .
