Messi brings Argentina back from the dead as Pharaohs surrender two-goal lead

Lionel Messi has pulled Argentina back from the verge of exit in the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup. The iconic striker fired into the roof of the net in the 83rd minute as Egypt's 2-0 lead evaporated in four minutes in Atlanta.

Cristian Romero gave Argentina a lifeline with a 79th-minute header before Messi stepped up to fire home his eighth goal of the tournament. Egypt had led through Yasser Ibrahim (15) and Mostafa Zico (67).

Zico smashed home from close range shortly after being denied a wonderful team goal in the 59th minute that was chopped off following a VAR intervention. Yasser Ibrahim had put Egypt in front in the 15th minute with a smart header off a Marawan Attia cross.

At the other end of the pitch, Mostafa Shoubir has been remarkable under the Egyptian goal. He saved a Lionel Messi penalty, denied Alexis Mac Allister from point-blank range and made a remarkable low diving save to keep out Julian Alvarez, leaving Argentina goalless.

Argentina fans must have thought Cabo Verde's maverick goalkeeper Vozinha was an anomaly after his heroics so nearly upset them in the round of 32. Wonder what they thought of Shoubir when he raised a wall in front of the world champions.

Shortly before the hour mark, Argentina got a lifeline from FIFA. The decision to disallow Zico’s first goal was controversial to say the least because the referee went back to an Attia foul on Lisandro Martinez while trying to retrieve the ball deep in the Egyptian half.

What the officials conveniently overlooked, let us record for posterity's sake: It started with a sensational Haissem Hassan run from inside his half, leaving a trio of Argentine defenders in their wake before finding Mo Salah. The Egyptian skipper deftly slipped one through for Zico, who finished smartly past Emi Martinez.

But as poetic justice goes, the trio that was involved in the disallowed goal got together to make the second Egyptian goal: Salah to Hassan to Zico.

A striking difference between the ongoing match in Atlanta and the one against Cabo Verde is that Messi gave Argentina the lead in the first half against the tiny African island nation.

In fact, the South American side was never behind in the whole tournament, finishing off Algeria 3-0, blanking Austria 2-0 before getting the better of Jodran (1-3) without Messi starting.

Egypt are only the second African side left in the tournament after Morocco, who advanced to the quarterfinals and are set to take on France in the last eight stage. Egypt beat Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw.