Argentina’s World Cup defence was slipping away when Africans, Egypt led by 2-0 till about 77 minutes during Monday night’s World Cup Round Of 16 match.

But, the pendulum of success shifted when the Lionel Messi-led side came back and found the back of net three times to defeat the Pharaohs 3-2 in a dramatic style and qualified for the quarter final.

Christian Romero, Messi and finally Enzo Fernández were all on target to cancel the goals scored earlier by the Egyptians who were not cowed by the star-studded Argies.

Hossam Hassan’s Egypt side won the early midfield duels to disrupt Argentina’s rhythm and took the lead when Ibrahim got in front of Lisandro Martínez to power a header into the top-right corner, beyond the reach of a rooted Emiliano Martínez.

Argentina had the chance to respond in eight minutes when Nicolás Tagliafico was brought down inside the box by Haissem Hassan. The stadium rose, expecting the familiar script. Instead, Mostafa Shobeir dived low to his left and pushed Messi’s penalty away.

There was the gasp of disbelief, but not the sound of a crowd turning on its idol. The blue-and-white banks answered with a fresh chant, as if to sing out the hurt of Messi. After the hydration break, Shobeir again reacted sharply to keep out Alexis MacAllister’s header and then flung out a strong hand to turn Julián Álvarez’s skidding shot around the post.

In the 58th minute, Hassan glided in from the right to link with Mohamed Salah and release Mostafa Ziko to finish beyond Emiliano Martínez, only for VAR to intervene.

But the warning was not heeded. Moments later, from an Argentine corner, Salah gathered possession in his own half and burst away, carrying the ball beyond Romero before slipping Hassan free.

The Egyptian drifted inside to find the on-rushing Ziko, who hammered his finish past Emiliano to put Egypt further by 2-0 ahead.

With 10 minutes left, Romero turned his header through Shobeir’s grasp to reduce the deficit. Messi then slalomed past two defenders from the right and almost equalised, only for a desperate clearance to spare Egypt.

The reprieve, though, lasted barely a minute. In the 83rd, Goncalo Montiel cushioned Lautaro Martínez cross into Messi’s path and the captain lashed his finish past Shobeir.

Egypt still had one last attack left in it, but as Salah was dispossessed near the Argentine box, the ball was worked forward quickly, and a floated delivery from Lautaro found Enzo evading the red shirt to head home the winner.

For Egypt, it was a defeat that would hurt more because it had been earned so well. Argentina, untidy and vulnerable for long stretches, had stitched together another escape, now to face Switzerland in the last eight.

–Additional report by starhindus.