Argentina rally from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 in World Cup Round of 16

In a dramatic Round of 16 match at the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta, Argentina staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2. The defending champions, led by Lionel Messi, overturned a two-goal deficit in the final 11 minutes of regulation time.

Egypt had taken a deserved 2-0 lead through goals from Mostafa Zico, the second of which came after a counter-attack initiated by Hosseim Hassan. Argentina pressed forward, leaving gaps at the back, and Egypt nearly sealed the win when Zico scored again, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on Lisandro Martinez in the build-up.

Argentina's resurgence began in the 79th minute when Cristian Romero headed in from a corner. Four minutes later, Messi equalised with a powerful half-volley from inside the box. The winner came in stoppage time when Enzo Fernandez headed home from a cross, following a VAR check for a possible offside.

Earlier in the match, Messi had missed a penalty in the first half, his second spot-kick miss of the tournament. He also struck the post with a free-kick. Despite the misses, Messi's influence grew as the game progressed, and his equaliser was a moment of individual brilliance.

The victory keeps Argentina's title defence alive and sets up a quarter-final clash. For Egypt, the defeat ends a commendable campaign, but their resilience was evident throughout the match.