Argentina 3-2 Egypt player ratings: Lionel Messi inspires stunning fightback to keep La Albiceleste World Cup alive

Argentina are done to the World Cup quarter-finals, but they had to travel from down for the archetypal clip successful this tourney to get there. 

Egypt, appearing successful their first-ever World Cup past 16 and unbeaten heading into the tie, stunned the defending champions astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta, with Yasser Ibrahim heading them successful beforehand wrong 15 minutes and Mostafa Zico doubling the pb conscionable aft the hr mark, having earlier had a extremity ruled retired by VAR for a foul connected Lisandro Martinez. 

Lionel Messi missed a first-half penalty, saved by an outstanding Mostafa Shoubir, and looked acceptable for a miserable night, but the Inter Miami prima went up to assistance Cristian Romero, who pulled 1 backmost with 11 minutes remaining.

Messi himself went up to level the crippled with a stunning volley disconnected the crossbar 4 minutes later, to determination wide astatine the apical of the Golden Boot standings, earlier substitute Lautaro Martinez teed up Enzo Fernandez for a stoppage-time header that completed 1 of the large World Cup turnarounds. 

Here, Sports Mole provides subordinate ratings from the Round of 16 necktie betwixt Argentina and Egypt.

Argentina subordinate ratings vs. Egypt: Messi and Romero pb the comeback arsenic dilatory commencement astir proves costly

GOALKEEPER

Emiliano Martinez – 6/10

Largely a spectator successful a archetypal fractional Egypt controlled, and could bash small astir either Ibrahim's header oregon Zico's eventual second. Kept his composure arsenic Egypt looked to property for a 3rd and helped settee a backmost enactment that had been severely unsettled.

DEFENCE

Nahuel Molina – 5/10

Struggled aboriginal connected to woody with Egypt's gait down the flanks and was fortunate not to beryllium much straight implicated successful the opening goal. Grew into the crippled arsenic Argentina's unit built successful the 2nd half.

Cristian Romero – 7.5/10

Part of a backmost enactment that had a torrid opening hour, but produced the infinitesimal that changed the full complexion of the match, rising to caput successful Messi's transverse with 11 minutes to spell and giving Argentina genuine content for the archetypal clip each evening.

Lisandro Martinez – 5.5/10

Bullied astatine times by Egypt's counter-attacking menace and was the subordinate fouled by Zico successful the build-up to the extremity VAR would aboriginal chalk off. Steadied himself arsenic the crippled wore connected but this was acold from his imperious show against Cabo Verde.

Nicolas Tagliafico – 6/10

Won the first-half punishment aft being felled by Hassan, lone to ticker Messi's effort saved. Defensively coagulated without ever afloat containing Egypt's right-sided threat.

MIDFIELD

Rodrigo De Paul – 6/10

Typically tireless, covering each leaf of writer to let Messi the licence to drift forward. Struggled, similar the remainder of the midfield, to assistance Argentina power immoderate Egyptian antagonistic attacks.

Alexis Mac Allister – 6/10

Kept things ticking implicit without ever uncovering a last shot that could unlock a well-drilled Egyptian defence. Improved considerably aft the instauration of caller legs successful attack.

Leandro Paredes – 5.5/10

Overrun successful midfield during Egypt's champion play of the crippled and offered small going guardant successful the archetypal hour. A quieter nighttime than Scaloni would person wanted from his deepest midfielder.

Enzo Fernandez – 8/10

Started the determination that astir won Argentina a punishment and was heavy progressive throughout, but it was his stoppage-time header that volition beryllium remembered. The clinching extremity successful 1 of Argentina's top World Cup turnarounds.

ATTACK

Lionel Messi – 9/10

A nighttime of existent play for the skipper who missed a punishment superbly saved by Shoubir and deed the station with a free-kick, looking acceptable for a uncommon off-night astatine this tournament. 

Instead, helium produced a stunning left-footed volley disconnected the crossbar to gully Argentina level astatine 2-2, taking his tally to 8 goals and moving wide astatine the apical of the Golden Boot race. Missed penalties aside, this was Messi astatine his astir decisive erstwhile it mattered most.

Julian Alvarez – 6/10

Denied by a good prevention from Shoubir erstwhile a changeable looked destined for the corner, and worked hard arsenic Argentina's focal constituent without uncovering the decorativeness his wide show merited. Withdrawn arsenic Scaloni searched for a antithetic benignant of threat.

SUBSTITUTES

Lautaro Martinez – 7/10

The interaction substitute Argentina needed. Delivered the transverse to acceptable up Enzo Fernandez's winner.

Gonzalo Montiel – 6/10
Nicolas Gonzalez  – 6/10
Nicolas Otamendi – 5.5/10
Facundo Medina – 5.5/10

Egypt subordinate ratings vs. Argentina: Zico and Shoubir animate brave Pharaohs earlier precocious collapse

GOALKEEPER

Mostafa Shoubir – 8/10

The outstanding subordinate connected the transportation for agelong periods. Saved Messi's first-half punishment and repeatedly denied Argentina with crisp reflex stops, including a important prevention to support retired Julian Alvarez. 

Could bash small astir Romero's header oregon Messi's eventual equaliser, and was near painfully exposed by Fernandez's precocious victor aft a heroic idiosyncratic display.

DEFENCE

Mohamed Hany – 6/10

Solid without being spectacular against Argentina's aboriginal probing, portion of a antiaircraft portion that frustrated the satellite champions for implicit an hour.

Yasser Ibrahim – 7.5/10

The catalyst for Egypt's stunning start, rising highest to caput successful Marawan Attia's transverse for a daze opener wrong 15 minutes. A colossal antiaircraft beingness for agelong periods earlier Argentina's precocious surge.

Ramy Rabia – 6/10

Organised and composed astatine the bosom of the defence arsenic Egypt soaked up Argentina's possession, though could not forestall the concession of 3 goals successful the closing stages.

Karim Hafez – 5.5/10

Defensively dependable for the astir portion but was fixed a torrid last 20 minutes arsenic Argentina's substitutes began to find joyousness down his side.

MIDFIELD

Mohanad Lasheenn – 5.5/10

Diligent successful his antiaircraft duties but seldom offered an outlet going forward.

Marawan Attia – 7/10

Delivered the pinpoint transverse for Ibrahim's opener and remained a menace down the flank for ample parts of the match.

Emam Ashour – 5.5/10

Industrious successful a disciplined Egyptian midfield that denied Argentina abstraction for agelong spells, though faded arsenic fatigue acceptable in.

Mohamed Salah – 6.5/10

Involved successful Egypt's amended moments and provided the assistance for Zico's 2nd goal, though recovered wide show of extremity hard to travel by against a well-organised Argentina backmost enactment erstwhile they were forced to perpetrate numbers forward.

Haissem Hassan – 7/10

Conceded the first-half punishment with a foul connected Tagliafico, though escaped further punishment erstwhile Messi's effort was saved. However, helium was a changeless torn successful the soma of the Argentine defenders, proving the assistance for the 2nd goal.

ATTACK

Mostafa Zico – 7.5/10

Had what looked a definite 2nd extremity ruled retired by VAR for a foul connected Lisandro, earlier doing it for existent 12 minutes aboriginal to enactment Egypt 2-0 up. Ultimately finished connected the losing broadside of 1 of the World Cup's large turnarounds.

SUBSTITUTES

Omar Marmoush – 5.5/10

Introduced arsenic Egypt looked to spot retired the game; little engagement successful a chaotic finish.

Trezeguet – 6/10

Brought connected precocious successful an effort to freshen up the onslaught arsenic Egypt's pb unravelled.

Hamdy Fathy – 5/10

Zizo – N/A