Argentina advanced to the last eight at the World Cup after recovering from a two-goal deficit to see off Egypt 3-2 on Tuesday.
Yasser Ibrahim opened the scoring for Egypt in the 15th minute of the last 16 clash at the Atlanta Stadium.
Argentina skipper Lionel Messi fluffed a chance to equalise from the penalty spot six minutes later. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir dived to his left to save the effort.
And Messi's misery was compounded mid way through the second half when Mostafa Zaki Abdelraouf doubled Egypt's advantage.
But with 11 minutes of regulation time as well as stoppage time remaining, Argentina began their fightback.
Messi floated a cross over from the right wing and Cristian Romero rose to head past Shobeir.
And four minutes later, Messi atoned for his earlier blunder.
Argentina fight back
The 39-year-old thrashed the ball into the net to level the tie.
Enzo Fernandez headed in the winner two minutes into stoppage time to maintain Argentina's defence of a crown they claimed at the expense of France in Qatar in 2022.
“This is a phenomenal group that never gives up," said Fernandez. "Four years have passed since Qatar, and we’ve come to enjoy another World Cup and we want to win it again. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
The South Americans are bidding to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
“I’m so emotional," said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni who led the squad to glory four years ago. "What a group of players."
Hossam Hassan, the Egypt boss, berated the officiating. He claimed that referee François Leteixier and his video assistants (VAR) should have reviewed a possible foul on Hamdi Fathy in the Argentina penalty area before Argentina broke away for their winner.
"There wasn't even been a VAR check and we have all seen and witnessed this scene of the t shirt being pulled back, and there has not even been a VAR check in order to disallow this goal. But life is still unfair. The world is still unfair. Ordinary life. Normal life is unfair.
Okay, but why isn't there any fairness in sports within football? I'm not convinced. I'm not convinced with this outcome.
I'm not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match. I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording, selected wording and saying hard luck and so on and so forth.
We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice.
There has not been respect or fair play because a penalty was ruled out. A second ball that should have been called as a penalty for us, was not even checked by the VAR. A second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed. And I dare to say that whoever schedules those matches is someone who doesn't and has never played football.
It has nothing to do with football because you never schedule a football match for 12 p.m. at noon. At noon you go for a stroll. You go to get some fresh air to maybe go on a brunch, but you do not go to play football.
You do not go onto the pitch. When are the players supposed to eat? Are they supposed to have their meal at 7:30 a.m. in order to be capable of playing at noon?
So there have been a lot of things to be questioned. Questioned on and off the pitch. Negative aspects all around. And today we ha
On Saturday in Kansas City, Argentina will play the winners of Tuesday night's game between Colombia and Switzerland in Vancouver.
