Messi's penalty redemption sends Argentina through, Switzerland end 72-year wait

Tuesday’s round of 16 gave Atlanta a classic and Vancouver a shootout for the ages, and the two winners now meet each other in the quarterfinals.

Messi misses, then delivers

Egypt spent most of Tuesday afternoon making a mockery of the “defending champions” tag stuck to Argentina. Yasser Ibrahim headed the Egyptians ahead in the 15th minute, and Mostafa Shobeir saved Lionel Messi’s penalty six minutes later to keep the lead intact. Mostafa Zico doubled it in the 67th, after Egypt had already had one goal ruled out for a foul on Lisandro Martinez, and for a good hour it looked like the holders were going home. Then Argentina remembered who they were. Cristian Romero headed one back in the 79th minute, Messi made up for his missed spot kick with the equalizer four minutes later, and Enzo Fernandez won it with a header deep into stoppage time, moments after Egypt had appealed in vain for a foul on Mohamed Salah in the buildup. “We have a phenomenal group, a group that never gives up no matter the difficulties,” Fernandez said afterward. Egypt, in their first-ever round of 16, go home with nothing but a story to tell.

Switzerland end a 72-year wait

Switzerland and Colombia could not find a single goal between them across 120 minutes in Vancouver, so it went to penalties, where Colombia found new and creative ways to lose. Davinson Sanchez smashed his kick off the crossbar, Cucho Hernandez had his effort saved by Gregor Kobel, and Ruben Vargas stepped up to send Switzerland through 4-3. It is their first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954, ending a run of three straight round of 16 exits. Colombia, missing the injured Jhon Cordoba, now have back-to-back World Cups ended on penalties, having lost the same way to England in 2018. “The dream was enormous,” said midfielder John Arias. “The country showed us it believed in us.” It just did not show up when the goalkeeper had eleven meters and a ball in front of him.

Round of 16: Argentina 3-2 Egypt, Switzerland 4-3 Colombia (pens, after 0-0).

Argentina and Switzerland meet next in the quarterfinals, and Messi’s redemption arc gets another chapter. See the updated bracket on the live table.

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