Messi’s Heroics Rescue Argentina
Egypt appeared to be on the verge of a historic upset after goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko put the Pharaohs 2-0 ahead, with Lionel Messi having a penalty saved in between. Argentina looked finished until the 79th minute, when Messi hauled his side back into the match. Three unanswered goals in 13 minutes — culminating in a 92nd-minute winner from Enzo Fernández — completed one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Cup history and sent Argentina to the quarterfinals. barcablaugranes.com aljazeera.com espn.com wsbtv.com
Messi’s goal extended his scoring streak to nine consecutive World Cup matches and moved him back to the top of the tournament’s Golden Boot race with eight goals. aljazeera.com
Egypt Cries Foul Over VAR Decision
The comeback was overshadowed by fury from Egypt over a VAR decision that disallowed a Mostafa Ziko goal when Egypt were already leading 1-0, before Ziko later scored again to make it 2-0. The Egyptian FA accused FIFA of engineering a “fix,” with the BBC reporting that Egypt’s camp labeled the officiating as directed in Argentina’s favor. The New York Times reported that Egypt “rages about refereeing” and claims the World Cup is “directed towards Argentina.” aljazeera.com nytimes.com bbc.com
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan called the refereeing “unfair” and said it favored Argentina, going “scorched earth” on officials in his post-match remarks. nypost.com
Hassan’s Palestine Advocacy Draws Global Attention
Beyond the officiating dispute, Hassan had already thrust political tensions into the spotlight before the match. At an official FIFA press conference on Monday, the coach appealed for support for Palestinians, stating: “Through football — the planet’s soft power — I aim to convey a message: allow the Palestinian people to live.” Hassan, who wrapped himself in a Palestinian flag after Egypt’s earlier victory over Australia, urged athletes and journalists worldwide to amplify that message. nytimes.com reuters.com
Argentina will now face Switzerland — which eliminated Colombia on penalties on the same day — in the quarterfinals on Saturday. apnews.com espn.com
