New Delhi: Lionel Messi admitted he felt he had let his teammates down after missing a first half penalty but expressed relief after playing a decisive role in Argentina national football team’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt national football team in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
Argentina found themselves in serious trouble after Egypt raced into a 2-0 lead. Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring with a header from a corner in the 15th minute, while goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced an outstanding first half performance, saving Messi’s penalty and denying several Argentine attacks. Messi also struck the crossbar with a free kick as Argentina went into the break trailing.
Egypt appeared to tighten their grip on the contest in the 67th minute when Mostafa Ziko finished a swift counterattack involving Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan to double the advantage. An earlier effort from Ziko had already been ruled out following a VAR review.
Argentina mounted a remarkable fightback in the closing stages. Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute by heading home Messi’s free kick. Four minutes later, Messi redeemed his earlier penalty miss by firing a powerful shot from outside the penalty area that clipped the goalkeeper’s gloves before finding the net to level the score.
With extra time approaching, Enzo Fernández completed the comeback in stoppage time, calmly placing a low finish into the bottom corner after collecting a loose ball on the edge of the box to seal a thrilling victory.
Reflecting on the match, Messi said he was deeply frustrated after missing the penalty and believed he had disappointed the team at a crucial moment. However, he said scoring the equaliser brought immense relief and happiness, while praising his teammates for their resilience and determination. He described Argentina as a side that never gives up and always competes until the final whistle.
Argentina’s victory sends the defending champions into the quarterfinals, where they will face the winners of the Round of 16 clash between Switzerland national football team and Colombia national football team.
