The eight countries who will contest the World Cup quarterfinals are now known.
Tuesday’s final two round of 16 games couldn’t have played out any differently, yet both were filled with edge of your seat drama, narrative and tension.
Argentina, the defending champions, was overwhelming favorites to glide past Egypt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but the Pharaohs didn’t receive the script and instead looked on course to cause one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.
With just 11 minutes of regulation time remaining, Egypt held a 2–0 lead and had denied Lionel Messi from the penalty spot—his miss a record fourth disaster from 12 yards at World Cups.
But Messi and Argentina seemingly don’t know how to lose and fought back to claim a stunning 3–2 win. It wasn’t without controversy, with Egypt’s (fuming) manager claiming postmatch that his side had been the victims of an “injustice.” Where have we heard that recently? 😉
Over in Canada, in front of a raucous crowd at BC Place in Vancouver, Switzerland and Colombia forgot how to put the ball in the back of the net and played out a relatively low-key 0–0 draw. Extra-time couldn’t force a winner, so penalties was required to decide the contest—Switzerland winning out 4–3 to make the last eight for the first time in 72 years.
Wednesday provides the World Cup’s first rest day, but we’re straight back into it on Thursday with Kylian Mbappé and France—the best team left in the tournament?
