Egypt appeared to be on course for one of the greatest victories in its FIFA World Cup history, holding a 2-0 lead until just 12 minutes before full time against the reigning world champions.
Defender Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 15th minute, putting Egypt ahead early in the match. The Pharaohs thought they had doubled their advantage later, but the goal was ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after a foul was detected during the build-up.
Egypt s manager Hossam Hassan after their defeat to Argentina.
— Tony (@TonyL_01) July 8, 2026
Not even once, he blamed himself and his players for surrendering a 2:0 lead with 12 minutes to go.
Instead, he said:
"Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running."
"The world champions received support at… pic.twitter.com/3gI62p7o5t
Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier also produced a heroic performance, denying Lionel Messi from the penalty spot with a brilliant save to preserve his side s advantage.
Argentina launched an incredible comeback in the closing stages of the match. Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute before Lionel Messi equalized just four minutes later to make it 2-2.
Deep into stoppage time, Enzo Fernández rose highest to head home the winning goal in the second minute of added time, completing a dramatic turnaround and sending Argentina into the World Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory.
Egypt Protests Refereeing and VAR Decisions
Following the final whistle, Egyptian players and coaching staff strongly criticized the match officials and VAR, insisting that Mohamed Salah was clearly fouled inside the penalty area during a crucial moment of the game.
According to Egypt, the referee neither awarded a penalty nor instructed VAR to conduct a review, a decision that has fueled widespread debate among fans and football analysts.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan expressed his frustration after the match, describing the officiating as "unfair" and claiming several key decisions went against his team.
"We were treated unjustly, and several refereeing decisions raise serious questions," Hassan said, adding that his players deserved a fair contest.
Argentina Advances Despite Controversy
Despite the post-match controversy, Argentina completed one of the most memorable comebacks of the FIFA World Cup 2026, overturning a two-goal deficit to book their place in the quarter-finals and keep their title defense alive.
