Argentina Survive Egypt Scare to Reach World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals

Argentina 3-2 Egypt — Round of 16

Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Date: July 7, 2026

Argentina survived a late scare from a resilient Egypt side to book their place in the World Cup 2026 quarterfinals with a dramatic 3-2 victory in Atlanta.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot midway through the first half, calmly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. Egypt responded almost immediately through Mohamed Salah, who finished a swift counter-attack with a trademark left-footed curl into the far corner.

Julian Álvarez restored Argentina's lead before the break, latching onto a through ball from Messi and slotting past the onrushing keeper. The second half saw Argentina dominate possession, and Lautaro Martínez appeared to put the game beyond doubt with a header from a corner.

However, Egypt refused to surrender. Mostafa Mohamed pulled one back in the 85th minute with a powerful strike from inside the box, setting up a nerve-wracking finale. Argentina's defence held firm through six minutes of stoppage time to secure the win.

The victory sets up a quarterfinal clash against Switzerland, who advanced earlier in the day by beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw. Argentina will be heavy favourites, but the defensive vulnerabilities exposed by Egypt will give Switzerland hope of an upset.

For Egypt, the tournament ends in heartbreak, but their spirited performance against one of the favourites will be remembered as one of the standout moments of the knockout stage.