Argentina rally from two goals down to knock Egypt out of World Cup

Argentina produced a stunning second-half comeback from two goals down to defeat Egypt 3-2 and book their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after a pulsating Round of 16 clash on Tuesday.

The reigning world champions looked on the brink of a shock exit after Egypt established a commanding two-goal lead, but Lionel Scaloni’s side mounted a remarkable late rally to keep their title defence alive.

Egypt made a dream start to the contest, taking the lead in the 15th minute through Ibrahim, who rose highest to meet Attia’s cross from a recycled corner. His powerful header beat goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and nestled into the top corner, sending Egyptian fans into celebration.

Argentina had an immediate opportunity to restore parity six minutes later when Nicolas Tagliafico was brought down inside the penalty area by Hassan.

However, Lionel Messi failed to capitalise from the penalty spot, with Egyptian goalkeeper Shobeir diving the right way to produce an excellent save.

The miss also saw Messi enter the World Cup record books for an unwanted reason, becoming the first player to miss two penalties at a single FIFA World Cup, having also failed to convert from the spot during Argentina’s group-stage victory over Austria.

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Despite dominating possession for much of the opening half, Argentina struggled to break down Egypt’s disciplined defence.

Messi came close with a curling free-kick that struck the outside of the post, while Julian Alvarez was denied by another outstanding save from Shobeir as Egypt carried their slender advantage into the halftime break.

Egypt doubled their lead in the 67th minute following a swift counterattack.

Mohamed Salah initiated the move before releasing Hassan down the flank. Hassan delivered a low cross into the penalty area, where Zico arrived to calmly finish from close range, leaving Argentina staring at an early exit.

With their World Cup campaign hanging in the balance, Argentina responded with renewed urgency and intensity.

Their comeback began in the 79th minute when defender Cristian Romero powered home Messi’s corner kick. Although Shobeir managed to get a hand to the ball, he could not prevent it from crossing the line, reducing the deficit to 2-1.

Just four minutes later, Messi redeemed himself for his earlier penalty miss.

After Lautaro Martinez intelligently hooked the ball into his path following Julian Alvarez’s cushioned pass, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner fired an emphatic finish beyond Shobeir to restore parity and ignite jubilant celebrations among the Argentine supporters.

Argentina completed the dramatic turnaround deep into stoppage time.

Moments after Egypt failed to take advantage of a promising counterattack, the South Americans surged forward once again. Fernandez met a cross with a thunderous header that flew into the top corner in the 92nd minute, completing a remarkable comeback and giving Argentina a 3-2 lead.

Egyptian players and officials immediately protested, claiming Alexis Mac Allister had fouled Fathy during the build-up to the winning goal.

The referee allowed play to continue, and after the goal was awarded, tensions flared on the touchline. Goalkeeper Shobeir received a yellow card for dissent, while a member of Egypt’s coaching staff was sent off following the heated exchanges.

Argentina were forced to withstand sustained pressure during 11 minutes of added time as Egypt desperately searched for an equaliser.

The South Americans defended resolutely to preserve their narrow advantage and secure a memorable victory that sends them into the World Cup quarter-finals.

For Argentina, the comeback demonstrated the resilience and experience that have defined their recent success on the global stage, while Egypt exited the tournament with pride after producing a spirited performance that came agonisingly close to one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.

Argentina rally from two goals down to knock Egypt out of World Cup

Belgium Crush USA 4-1 to Book Spain Quarter-Final Clash

SEATTLE — Fired-up Belgium brought the United States’ World Cup party to a shuddering halt on Monday, thrashing the tournament co-hosts 4-1 in a last-16 clash overshadowed by controversy, to set up a blockbuster quarter-final showdown with European champions Spain . In front of a sellout crowd of 66,925 at Lumen Field, Charles De Ketelaere scored twice and provided an assist, while Hans Vanaken punished a goalkeeping howler and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a fourth to seal a dominant victory that exposed the defensive frailties of Mauricio Pochettino’s side .

The build-up to the match was dominated by the controversial decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play despite receiving a red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina, after FIFA controversially suspended the automatic one-match ban following direct lobbying by US President Donald Trump, who personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case. The decision sparked widespread condemnation across the football world, with UEFA describing it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” and saying FIFA had “crossed a red line,” while the Belgian Football Association expressed its “astonishment” and threatened legal action . Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said his team felt a “sense of injustice” over the decision, which fuelled their performance, and he declared: “A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days. There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field” .

Belgium took control early, with Charles De Ketelaere opening the scoring in the ninth minute when Nicolas Raskin’s pass across the face of goal found the Atalanta forward, who tapped in from close range after the US defence failed to clear their lines, and Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who made four changes to his starting XI leaving veteran Kevin De Bruyne on the bench, saw his decision proved justified as his team dominated proceedings. The Americans briefly levelled in the 31st minute when Malik Tillman’s deflected free-kick wrong-footed goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, sparking wild celebrations from the partisan crowd, but Belgium restored their lead just 61 seconds later when Leandro Trossard delivered a pinpoint cross and De Ketelaere out-jumped defender Tim Ream to head home his second goal of the night, effectively silencing the home fans and shifting momentum decisively in Belgium’s favour.

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Belgium effectively put the game beyond reach in the 57th minute when US goalkeeper Matt Freese made a costly error, rushing out of his area to clear a long ball but losing control, allowing De Ketelaere to steal the ball and square to Hans Vanaken, who side-footed into the empty net from outside the penalty area, and the American backline, considered the team’s weakness entering the tournament, appeared overwhelmed by Belgium’s attacking quality throughout the match. Coach Pochettino admitted after the game: “Today we did not show our real quality. We started in a really poor way. Wasn’t our day, in a collective or an individual way” , acknowledging that his team had failed to replicate the form that had captivated the host nation throughout the tournament. Romelu Lukaku piled on the misery with a fourth in stoppage time, slotting home after another US defensive giveaway to record a record third goal as a substitute in a single World Cup tournament, and after scoring, several Belgian players were pictured dancing in a style similar to the “Trump dance” — a clear mockery of the controversy that had dominated the pre-match narrative.

Despite Balogun being named in the starting line-up after the FIFA reprieve, the American striker was largely anonymous throughout the match, failing to add to his three tournament goals and struggling to make an impact against a well-organised Belgian defence, while Christian Pulisic was substituted in the 59th minute after picking up an injury that further weakened the American attack. US captain Tim Ream reflected on the defeat with visible emotion: “There’s so many different thoughts and emotions that are running through me at the minute that I’m not even thinking tactically… It’s just one of those that I probably won’t be able to personally think about for a few days” , summing up the disappointment of a campaign that had captivated the host nation but ended in bitter disappointment.

The result means all three co-hosts — the USA, Mexico, and Canada — have now been eliminated in the round of 16, a significant setback for the tournament organisers who had hoped for deeper runs from the host nations. The official Belgium national team Instagram account also appeared to mock the controversy, posting a picture of Lukaku cupping his ear with the caption “overturn this,” a direct reference to the Balogun reprieve that had so angered the Belgian camp .

Belgium will now face Spain in the quarter-finals on Friday, July 10, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, after the Spaniards booked their place with a 1-0 victory over Portugal in the final World Cup match of Cristiano Ronaldo’s career . Spanish substitute Mikel Merino coolly slotted the winner in the first minute of stoppage time to seal victory in a dour contest between the Iberian football rivals at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with the 41-year-old Ronaldo, playing in his sixth and final tournament, rarely more than a peripheral figure in a performance that saw Portugal muster just two shots on target compared to Spain’s six . Ronaldo said afterwards: “It was my last World Cup, yes, but I’ll have time to think about the rest… Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and you have to move on” , marking the end of an era for Portuguese football.

The Red Devils have reached at least the quarter-final stage in three of their past four World Cups, with their best-ever finish coming in 2018 when they took third place, and they will be looking to go one better this time around. Spain enters the quarter-final as the favourite, having not conceded a single goal in the tournament so far, while Belgium are the underdogs at +245 to advance, with Spain at -320 favourites . De Ketelaere, reflecting on his match-winning performance, said: “It is something you dream of as a kid. Being a decisive player in a knockout game is a dream come true” , while Garcia praised his team’s collective effort, stating: “We played with mastery, with willingness and with determination” .

Belgium Crush USA 4-1 to Book Spain Quarter-Final Clash

Ronaldo in tears as Spain end Portugal’s World Cup dream

Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of lifting the FIFA World Cup came to a heartbreaking end on Monday night after Spain scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to defeat Portugal 1-0 and book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Round of 16 clash at Dallas Stadium appeared destined for extra time until Mikel Merino struck in the opening minute of added time, sealing Spain’s victory and ending Portugal’s campaign in cruel fashion.

The defeat marked what is widely expected to be Ronaldo’s final appearance at the World Cup, bringing the curtain down on an extraordinary tournament career that spanned six editions and cemented his place among football’s greatest players.

Portugal began the contest with confidence, relying on the experience of Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and João Félix to trouble the Spanish defence. The Portuguese created promising openings during the first half, with Ronaldo forcing goalkeeper Unai Simón into action, while the veteran striker continued to press Spain’s backline in search of the breakthrough.

Spain, however, gradually asserted control through their trademark possession-based football. Midfield orchestrator Rodri dictated the tempo, helping his side dominate possession while limiting Portugal’s attacking opportunities. Despite Spain’s territorial advantage, Portugal’s disciplined defensive organisation ensured clear-cut chances remained scarce.

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Goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced several outstanding saves to keep Portugal in the contest. His finest moment came when he denied Spain with a superb double save, frustrating the Spanish attack and raising hopes that the match would be settled in extra time.

Portugal suffered a significant setback midway through the second half when left-back Nuno Mendes was forced off with a hamstring injury. His departure disrupted Portugal’s defensive balance and gave Spain greater freedom to attack down the flanks as the closing stages unfolded.

With penalties looming, Spain found the decisive breakthrough in dramatic circumstances. A quickly taken free-kick caught the Portuguese defence off guard before substitute Ferran Torres delivered a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area. Mikel Merino timed his run to perfection and calmly slotted the ball beyond Costa, sparking wild celebrations among Spanish players and supporters.

The late goal shattered Portugal’s hopes of extending their World Cup journey. Moments after the final whistle, Ronaldo was overcome with emotion, dropping to the turf before leaving the pitch in tears as teammates and members of the coaching staff attempted to console him. The emotional scenes reflected the magnitude of the occasion, with the 41-year-old seeing his final opportunity to win football’s biggest prize slip away.

Although Portugal’s campaign ended in disappointment, the team produced several memorable performances during the tournament, including an impressive Round of 32 victory over Croatia. Ronaldo also demonstrated his enduring influence, leading a squad that blended experienced stars with emerging talents.

For Spain, the victory reinforced their credentials as genuine contenders for the world title. Luis de la Fuente’s side continued their impressive defensive run by recording another clean sheet while extending their unbeaten streak in the competition. Their composure under pressure and ability to seize decisive moments have made them one of the tournament’s standout teams.

Spain will now face Belgium in a highly anticipated quarter-final as they continue their pursuit of a second FIFA World Cup crown. Portugal, meanwhile, return home with pride in their campaign but with the lingering disappointment of another missed opportunity to secure the one major trophy that eluded Cristiano Ronaldo throughout his illustrious international career.

Ronaldo in tears as Spain end Portugal’s World Cup dream