Tuesday, July 7 round-up — Messi flips Egypt, Kobel writes Switzerland into history

The final night of the Round of 16 delivered everything you want from a World Cup: a giant on the brink hauling itself back up, and an underdog digging in all the way to penalties to write a page of its own history. In Atlanta, Argentina flirted with disaster before flipping the tie against Egypt in a breathless finish. In Vancouver, Switzerland survived Colombian pressure thanks to a goalkeeper made of iron. By the end of the night, the quarter-final bracket is finally complete.

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Argentina 3-2 Egypt — the big scare, then Messi

(Facts — sources: ESPN, FIFA, Al Jazeera, NBC Sports.)

For more than an hour, Egypt executed their game plan to perfection. Yasser Ibrahim had opened the scoring as early as the 15th minute from a Marawan Attia cross, and Mostafa Zico doubled the lead on 67 minutes, silencing the Argentine crowd. Worse still: Messi had missed a penalty on 21 minutes, as if the night was destined to turn into a nightmare for the Albiceleste.

Then everything flipped in eleven minutes. Cristian Romero headed his side back into it on 79 minutes, from a Messi delivery. Four minutes later the captain equalised himself, before Enzo Fernández popped up at 90+2 to hand the holders a qualification they perhaps didn’t deserve on the balance of play, but went and grabbed with sheer heart.

3 key numbers:

• 2-0 — Egypt’s lead, still standing at the 79th minute.
• 11 minutes — how long Argentina needed to score their three goals (79’, 83’, 90+2’).
• 21st — the minute of the penalty Messi missed, which could have changed everything earlier.

Gunners spotlight: no Arsenal player on the pitch in Atlanta. The night belonged to Messi, and to an Egypt side that can leave the tournament with its head held high.

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Switzerland 0-0 (4-3 pens) Colombia — the goalkeeper’s night

(Facts — sources: ESPN, FotMob, FOX Sports, Opta Analyst.)

At BC Place, Colombia made the running. Sharper, more threatening, especially in extra time, they ran into Gregor Kobel all night long. The Swiss keeper turned away all three shots on target he faced, Jhon Lucumí headed against the bar, and Jáminton Campaz skied a golden chance on 115 minutes with only the goalkeeper to beat. Switzerland, for their part, embraced a more cautious plan, willing to drag Colombia to the one place they didn’t want to go: the shoot-out.

And in that exercise, Kobel was again the boss. Davinson Sánchez smashed the bar, then the Dortmund stopper pushed away Cucho Hernández’s effort. Rubén Vargas, on as a substitute, buried the decisive penalty to send Switzerland into a quarter-final for the first time since 1954. Seventy-two years of waiting wiped out in a single kick.

3 key numbers:

• 1954 — Switzerland’s last (and only) World Cup quarter-final, until tonight.
• 3 — Colombia’s shots on target, all saved by Kobel.
• 4-3 — the shoot-out score, sealed by Vargas’s penalty.

Gunners spotlight: again, no red and white in Vancouver. But Switzerland’s win completes the quarter-final bracket, and it’s on that side of the draw that the Gunners take centre stage (see below).

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Bracket box — the quarters are complete

(Source: official FIFA bracket, verified ESPN / FotMob / World Soccer Talk.)

With these last two results, the quarter-final bracket is now set. Argentina and Switzerland will meet Saturday, July 11 in Kansas City (a late kick-off, in the early hours European time): the holders against the tournament’s big surprise.

The other three ties were already known, and they are a treat for an Arsenal supporter: France – Morocco Thursday, July 9 in Boston, with William Saliba marshalling the French defence; Spain – Belgium Friday, July 10 in Los Angeles, where Mikel Merino, David Raya and Martín Zubimendi face their team-mate Leandro Trossard; and Norway – England Saturday, July 11 in Miami, the duel between Martin Ødegaard and the Saka-Rice-Eze-Madueke quartet. All-Gunners on both sides of the draw.

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The GG take

(Opinion.)

Two qualifications, two different lessons. Argentina remind us that a world champion never dies until the referee blows the whistle. Outplayed, scrappy, saved by a missed penalty that could have killed them off earlier, they lean once again on the brilliance of their number 10 and the composure of an Enzo Fernández. It’s fragile, it’s borderline, but great teams have that knack of getting through even on their off nights.

Switzerland won it their way: without dazzling, but without ever cracking, propped up by a goalkeeper who decided this would be his night. You can find it frustrating for Colombia, the better side with the ball, but football sometimes rewards steel and nerve over control. Kobel swung a whole qualification on his own.

But the real joy, for us, arrives now. The quarter-finals are going to be packed with red and white: Saliba, the Spanish trio against Trossard, Ødegaard against the English. We’ll be watching very closely.

#WorldCup2026 #COYG