Argentina v Egypt 3–2: Messi misses a penalty, then leads an epic comeback. Switzerland await in the quarter-finals

After more than an hour of play in which they dominated possession but failed to create any clear-cut chances, the Selección looked sluggish, nervous and unable to break down the opposition’s defensive wall.

But just when all seemed lost, Argentina’s number 10 took centre stage. In the 79th minute, Lionel Messi delivered a perfect assist for Cristian Romero, who headed home from a few metres out to pull one back and bring the game back to life. Four minutes later, in the 83rd minute, Messi himself scored the equaliser, collecting the ball in the box and firing it with a powerful volley into the Egyptian net, thereby redeeming himself after missing a penalty in the first half.

The momentum of the match changed completely at that point. Egypt, who for over seventy minutes had been harbouring hopes of reaching the quarter-finals, began to feel the pressure from Argentina. However, the Pharaohs refused to give up, and in the second minute of stoppage time – when extra time seemed inevitable – they pushed forward with Salah, who, exhausted, lost possession on the edge of the box, leaving the field open for an Argentine counter-attack.

Martinez, who had narrowly missed the target with a header, drifted out to the right and then floated a ball into the centre onto the head of Enzo Fernández, who caught the Egyptian number one off guard to make it 3–2, completing a sensational comeback and sending the South American fans into raptures

Argentina showed character, technical quality and an extraordinary ability to bounce back in the most difficult situations. However, some questions remain regarding their defensive play and their difficulty in converting the volume of play they generate into goals.

In terms of the quality of his play, his leadership and his impact at crucial moments, Messi was undoubtedly the best player on the pitch. The Argentine captain had a difficult start to the match, missing a penalty and hitting the post with a free-kick. However, he never shied away from the challenge; he continued to lead the team by the hand, provided the assist for Romero’s goal to make it 1–2, and scored the equaliser that sparked the final comeback.

Egypt, on the other hand, exit the tournament with their heads held high. Hossam Hassan’s side – who, in the closing stages, protested vehemently to the referee by crossing their arms above their heads – put in a courageous, well-organised and intense performance, coming within a few minutes of one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Among the Egyptians, Shobeir deserves a special mention for his numerous decisive saves, including the penalty he saved from Messi, as does Yasser Ibrahim, who opened the scoring.

Switzerland have secured a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after beating Colombia on penalties following a very evenly matched game at BC Place in Vancouver (Canada). The match ended 0–0 after normal time and extra time, with the Swiss winning 4–3 in the penalty shoot-out.

The match was very tight tactically. In the first half, Colombia created the first clear-cut chance through Arias in the 21st minute, but the Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was quick to respond. Switzerland responded in the 29th minute with a shot from Rieder, which was well saved by the Colombian goalkeeper Vargas.

In the second half, the balance of play remained unchanged. Murat Yakin’s side had more of the possession, but failed to create any real chances, whilst Colombia looked to hit them on the break.

The best chances of the match came in extra time. In the 98th minute, Colombian defender Jhon Lucumí hit the crossbar with a spectacular header, coming close to putting his side ahead. In the 115th minute, it was Jaminton Campaz who squandered the chance to secure qualification, shooting over the bar from an excellent position in front of Kobel.

The tie was therefore decided from the penalty spot. Key factors in Colombia’s defeat were the misses by Davinson Sánchez, who hit the crossbar, and Hernández, whose shot was saved after he aimed to Kobel’s right.

Switzerland put in a solid and very well-organised defensive performance. Although they created little going forward, they remained compact and composed.

Colombia probably had the clearest chances of the match, particularly through Lucumí and Campaz in extra time. However, they failed to capitalise on them and paid the price for their mistakes from the penalty spot.

Thanks to this victory, Switzerland will face Argentina in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. The match is scheduled to take place in Kansas City on 12 July 2026.