BENGALURU: FOR 75 minutes, Argentina were fairly ordinary. The bigger problem for them was their talisman was having an off-day. For so long during this barely believable run of trophies — the two Copa Americas sandwiched by the World Cup in 2022 – Lionel Messi had acted as a rising tide. Against Egypt in Atlanta, his colleagues had managed to drag him down to their level. Passes were undercooked and they also missed some big chances to take the lead, including from the penalty spot, Messi seeing his spot-kick saved (his second in this tournament). At some level, The Pharaohs fully deserved their two-goal lead (they could have been leading by three had the VAR not intervened on a marginal decision). Playing on the counter, Mohamed Salah had rolled back the years in the company of Mostafa Ziko and Haissem Hassan, the right-winger who had caused all sorts of problems to the defending champion with his incisive running.
When the second hydration break was in progress, it was fair to say that Egypt were likelier to advance.
Less than 24 hours after Cristiano Ronaldo was shown the door, would his great rival join him in the departures lounge? The answer was an emphatic no.
The thing with Messi, unlike Ronaldo, is he has this special capacity to keep cajoling and coaxing his teammates even when all hope is seemingly lost. At multiple points in the 2022 World Cup, Messi led and the others followed (a gritty, ugly 1-0 over Mexico, a nervy 2-1 win over Australia, a shoot-out win over Netherlands as well as France). He displayed all of those powers on Tuesday afternoon in an unbelievable 13 minute period from the 77th. It was sheer bedlam and the noise didn't die down even when the referee blew the final whistle. For the first goal, headed home by Cristian Romero, Messi picked up possession of the ball and clipped a cross from the right. He had already missed his target a fair few times from similar positions but you give him multiple chances to deliver a cross, he's bound to get one right.
He got one right and Romero, part of the leadership group, pounced on it to signal lift-off. If that was momentary relief, the equaliser brought the roof down. Argentina, who had thrown on multiple attacking players by this time, were piling on the pressure when Lautaro Martinez headed wide after Messi had set him up with another cross. Moments later, the 39-year-old thought it was best if he himself finished it, The Egypt defence didn't clear their lines and and the loose ball was sent Messi's way by Gonzalo Montiel. On his favoured left foot from close range, there was only ever going to be one result. An eighth goal this tournament.
All of Egypt's momentum had been killed inside five minutes and they were suddenly chasing the game. Their last hope — dragging the game into extra-time — ended after a swift attacking move initially engineered by Julian Alvarez. It was finished by Enzo Fernandez to spark scenes of delirium both on the ground and in the stands. Egypt went in search of an equaliser but the Albiceleste hung on grimly.
'La cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star)' has been the popular song of choice wherever Argentine fans have congregated in the US over the last month. In pubs and in grounds, on main roads and in walkways, they have hummed this incessantly.
A few of the lines when translated, go like this. "I want to see the fourth star. Shine on the shirt. I am Argentinian from the cradle. To the grave. For the Malvinas. For Diego. For Leo's last (World Cup)..."
That very nearly ended on Tuesday.
