Argentina produced one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history by recovering from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 and reach the quarter-finals.
Lionel Messi cried tears of joy and relief after Argentina edged past Egypt in their last-16 clash
Messi was emotional after seeing his side come from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 in the last 16
Messi was quickly hugged by his Argentina team-mates after Tuesday’s mesmeric match
Egypt shocked the defending champions when Yasser Ibrahim scored in the first half. Messi then missed a penalty after Mostafa Shobeir produced a brilliant save, leaving Argentina in real danger.
The pressure increased when Mostafa Zico made it 2-0 midway through the second half. With time running out, Argentina looked destined for an early exit.
Sergio Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute before Messi equalised with a stunning finish that bounced in off the underside of the crossbar. Deep into stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez completed the remarkable turnaround with a superb winning header.
The final whistle sparked emotional celebrations. Messi burst into tears and was embraced by teammates after keeping Argentina’s World Cup dream alive. Roy Keane and Gary Neville described the scenes as tears of relief after one of the greatest escapes the tournament has ever seen.
Argentina now march into the quarter-finals full of confidence after producing a comeback that will be remembered for years.
