Messi Leads Argentina Back from 2-0 Down to Win 3-2
Lionel Messi inspired one of the great World Cup comebacks, leading Argentina from the brink of elimination to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt. The 39-year-old captain, who missed an early penalty, set up one goal and scored another as the defending champions stormed back in the final 11 minutes.
At 39 years old and facing elimination from the World Cup, Lionel Messi refused to let his team's dream die.
Argentina trailed Egypt 2-0 with just 11 minutes left in their round of 16 match at Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday. The defending champions looked headed for one of the tournament's biggest upsets after Messi had missed an early penalty and Egypt's goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir pulled off save after miraculous save.
Then the magic happened. Messi whipped in a cross that Cristian Romero headed home to cut the deficit in half with 11 minutes remaining.
Four minutes later, Messi pounced on a loose ball in the box and crashed home the equalizer. The captain was in tears, but his work wasn't finished.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Lautaro Martinez crossed from the right during a counter-attack. Enzo Fernandez cushioned a perfect header past Shoubir to complete the remarkable turnaround.
Egypt had been brilliant for most of the match. Yasser Ibrahim headed them into a 15th-minute lead, and Mostafa Zico doubled the advantage in the 67th minute after Mohamed Salah launched a lightning counter-attack.
Shoubir kept Egypt's hopes alive with a series of world-class saves, diving to stop Messi's penalty and making reflex stops against Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez. Messi even hit the post with a free kick in the first half.
Why This Inspires
This comeback reminds us that experience and determination can overcome any deficit. Messi, now with 21 World Cup goals to his name, showed that age is just a number when heart and skill combine.
The North African underdogs played fearlessly and nearly pulled off the upset of the tournament. Their attacking approach and Shoubir's heroics gave fans around the world a match they won't soon forget.
Argentina's fighting spirit kept their quest for back-to-back World Cup titles alive. They'll face either Colombia or Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Kansas City on Saturday.
Sometimes the greatest victories come when defeat seems certain.
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Based on reporting by France 24 English
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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