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An unprecedented comeback only Argentina could stage
After conceding an early lead in the first half, Argentina conceded yet another goal in the second half
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Prabhjot Paul Singh - Wed, 08, Jul 2026
- 05:30 EDT
- 24
FIFA / FIFA
Champions are made of different material as they stand out in a field of equals. Defending champion Argentina proved that it has an extra layer to protect itself from shocks, surprises and upsets.
At one stage, it looked like nothing was going Argentina's way as its skipper and living legend, Lionel Messi, had his penalty kick blocked by an Egyptian goalkeeper. But the game took a turn in the 79th minute when the Egyptians were riding a wave of glory with a 2-0 lead.
Switzerland, after a scoreless draw against Colombia, even after extra time, won the penalty shootout 4-3 to earn the right to challenge defending champion Argentina in the quarterfinals.
Incidentally, it was the last game to be played on Canadian soil. BC Place Stadium proved lucky for the Swiss as they beat Canada on its home soil and today managed to edge past Colombia. Switzerland shared the group with Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Qatar.
Switzerland thus became the sixth European team to make the quarterfinals after France, Spain, Norway, Belgium and England. Argentina (South America) and Morocco (Africa) are the other two teams to make the last-eight round.
The game between Switzerland and Colombia was a Round of 16 encounter.
Trailing 0-2 until the 79th minute, the defending champion staged a marvelous comeback to score three times and reserve its place in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The win was masterminded by none other than its mercurial skipper and striker, Lionel Messi, who, besides scoring his ninth goal, was also the architect behind the first goal his team scored against the African challenger, Egypt.
Argentina produced a comeback that would be written in golden letters in the annals of the FIFA World Cup. After conceding an early lead in the first half, Argentina conceded yet another goal in the second half. And when it looked like all was lost, it staged a marvelous comeback for the ages to edge Egypt in the Round of 16.
Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko had Hossam Hassan's Pharaohs on the cusp of one of the competition's greatest upsets at Atlanta Stadium, but late goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez transformed the outcome.
Argentina will now play in the quarterfinals.
Yasser Ibrahim headed Egypt into a shock lead before Mostafa Shoubir, the Egyptian goalkeeper, magnificently thwarted a penalty by Messi. The goalkeeper dived to his left to save Messi's measured kick, which Nicolas Tagliafico had craftily earned, and made superb stops from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez.
Egypt thought it had made it 2-0 just before the hour. Haissem Hassan made an imperious dash down the right and fed Salah, who enabled Ziko to ripple the net. The goal was, however, ruled out for a foul in the buildup. It merely delayed the Al Ahly man from doubling the lead, though, as he finished off a rapid counterattack involving Salah and Hassan. It left Egypt on the cusp of victory, but after Romero pulled one back, Messi's brilliant finish equalized and Fernandez completed an epic survival story.
Yesterday, when Portugal lost to Spain, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who cried because he could not fulfill his dream of winning the World Cup. Today, it was the turn of Lionel Messi to be in tears after his team staged a superb comeback.
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