FIFA World Cup: Messi, Argentina score 3 unanswered goals to comeback over Egypt

ATLANTA — Argentina’s hopes of winning back-to-back World Cup titles stayed alive with a 3-2 win over Egypt on Tuesday afternoon.

The defending champions erased a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals scored within 13 minutes.

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Argentina advances to the quarterfinals and will face the winner of tonight’s Colombia-Switzerland match on Saturday. The winner of Saturday’s match will play either England or Norway in the semifinal in Atlanta.

Egypt were up 2-0 with goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko in the 15th and 67th minute. Ziko scored moments after VAR (video assistant referee) called it back for a previous foul.

Lionel Messi worked his “Messi magic” with an assist on Cristian Romero’s goal in the 79th minute and his equalizer in the 83rd minute. In stoppage time, Argentina completed the comeback with a Enzo Fernandez game winner.

“We have a phenomenal group, a group that never gives up no matter the difficulties and adversity. We’re always together,” Fernandez said in a news conference after the match.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan thought his squad looked better than Argentina during the match. His team had been seeking its first quarterfinals appearance in the World Cup.

“I’m not convinced with this outcome. I’m not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match,” Hassan said in his news conference.

“We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice,” he added.

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