Argentina kept their World Cup title defence alive with a remarkable 3 2 comeback victory over Egypt in the round of 16, showing why champions are never beaten until the final whistle. Lionel Messi recovered from an earlier penalty miss to lead the fightback, scoring one goal and setting up another when his team needed him most. Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround with the winner as Argentina overturned a two-goal deficit. Egypt looked set for a famous upset after controlling much of the contest, but Messi's influence and Argentina's determination changed the course of the match in the closing stages.Lionel Messi scored a goal and an assist in Argentina's dramatic win over Egypt. (Getty Images via AFP)Enzo headed home in the third minute of added time from a superb Lautaro Martinez cross to seal one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Cup history. It was a match filled with twists, heartbreak and unforgettable moments. Egypt had controlled the contest for long periods and looked destined for a famous victory after building a 2-0 lead that they held until the 78th minute. Argentina appeared beaten, with their title defence hanging by a thread.The turnaround began with Lionel Messi. His inviting delivery found Cristian Romero, who powered home a header to reduce the deficit and give Argentina renewed belief. From that moment, the momentum shifted completely. Messi, who had endured a difficult evening after missing a first-half penalty, kept driving at the Egyptian defence, constantly looking for openings with his movement and passing.His persistence was rewarded in the 83rd minute. After helping launch the attack and combining with Julian Alvarez, Messi stayed with the move and fired home the equaliser to complete a remarkable fightback. The goal was met with an emotional celebration as the Argentina captain leapt into the air, releasing the frustration of his earlier miss.Egypt were left shell-shocked after watching their two-goal advantage disappear in a matter of minutes. Argentina, inspired by their captain's response under pressure, completed the comeback moments later when Fernandez's late header secured a famous victory and a place in the quarterfinals.Deep into stoppage time, with both teams throwing everything into one final push, Lautaro Martinez delivered a brilliant cross from the right after coming on as a second-half substitute. Enzo Fernandez timed his run perfectly and powered a towering header into the net in the 90+3rd minute, completing an extraordinary comeback and sending Argentina into the quarterfinals.Argentina vs Egypt FIFA World Cup Round of 16 HighlightsAs the final whistle blew, Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion. The Argentina captain was in tears after leading another memorable fightback. Having missed a first-half penalty, he responded in the best possible way by scoring the equaliser when his team needed him most. It was his ninth consecutive World Cup match with a goal and his eighth of the tournament, moving him ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.For much of the night, it appeared Argentina's title defence was coming to an end. Goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko had given Egypt a deserved two-goal lead, while Messi's saved penalty only added to Argentina's growing frustration. The defending champions looked out of answers as Egypt closed in on one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.But Argentina refused to give in. Just as they had throughout their triumphant 2022 campaign, they showed resilience under pressure, fought back from the brink and found a way to survive when elimination seemed almost certain.Egypt stunned Argentina earlyMeanwhile, Egypt came within touching distance of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history after troubling Argentina from the opening whistle. Ibrahim put the Pharaohs ahead in the 15th minute, beating Lisandro Martinez in the air before heading into the far corner. Argentina's evening went from bad to worse when goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir saved Messi's penalty, marking the captain's second miss from the spot in the tournament. Mostafa Ziko then thought he had scored again before VAR ruled it out, but the setback did not affect him. He found the net with 23 minutes left to make it 2 0, leaving Argentina with a mountain to climb before the defending champions produced a remarkable late comeback.