Argentina Stages Miraculous Comeback from 0-2 to 3-2 with 11 Minutes Left to Reach Quarterfinals

[Anchor]

Defending champion Argentina has advanced to the quarterfinals after a dramatic comeback victory against Egypt. Trailing 0-2 until late in the second half, Argentina scored three goals, including in stoppage time, to turn the match around.

We start with reporter Bae Jeonghun.

[Reporter]

Argentina, which conceded the opening goal to Egypt's Ibrahim in the 15th minute of the first half, squandered a chance to equalize six minutes later.

Messi's penalty kick was accurately read and saved by Egyptian goalkeeper Shobier.

It was Messi's second missed penalty of this tournament.

Argentina launched a relentless offensive afterward but could not break through Shobier's series of saves, and instead faced greater danger from Egypt's sharp counterattacks.

In the 13th minute of the second half, Argentina seemed to catch a break when a goal by Egypt's Zizo was overturned following a video assistant referee (VAR) review. However, nine minutes later, they ultimately conceded a goal to Zizo during another counterattack, falling behind by two goals.

Just as Argentina's elimination seemed certain, the feet of the "God of Football," Messi, flashed into action.

In the 34th minute of the second half, he delivered a precise cross that led to Romero's goal to narrow the gap. Four minutes later, he connected with a loose ball in the penalty area, firing a quick left-footed shot into the net.

Scoring his 21st career World Cup goal and his 8th of this tournament to take the sole lead in the scoring race, Messi embraced his teammates and savored the joy.

Having completely shifted the momentum thanks to Messi's performance, Argentina put an exclamation point on the 3-2 comeback victory with a header goal by Fernandez during second-half stoppage time.

Argentina became the first team in World Cup history to overturn a deficit of two or more goals after the 33rd minute of the second half without going into extra time.

Overcome by the unbelievable victory, Messi shed tears, and the Argentine players tossed him into the air, celebrating the miracle created by the "God of Football."

[Messi / Argentina National Team Forward: Fortunately, our team proved our characteristic never-say-die spirit once again. As I always say, we are a team that never gives up and constantly pushes forward to achieve victory. I am truly grateful that we did it again today.]

Continuing their quest for a second consecutive title, Argentina will compete for a ticket to the semifinals against Switzerland on July 12.

(Video Editing: Jeon Min-gyu)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.