Against Cabo Verde: Lionel Scaloni admitted Argentina had made its supporters endure unnecessary anxiety, but he saw something far more important in its dramatic comeback against Egypt: the character and belief of a team that refuses to surrender.
For Scaloni, the 3-2 victory in Atlanta was about more than simply surviving a difficult World Cup knockout match. It reflected Argentina's identity -- a side that continues to fight regardless of the circumstances and never accepts defeat as an option.
"We made our supporters suffer even though we didn't have a bad game," the Argentina coach said after the victory. "I am a coach for moments like these. What we showed today goes beyond simply going through. We would have been eliminated if we hadn't fought."
Argentina appeared to be heading toward a stunning exit after Egypt raced into a 2-0 lead, but the defending champion produced a remarkable late turnaround. Cristian Romero started the comeback before Lionel Messi equalized, and Enzo Fernandez completed the rescue act with a stoppage-time winner, reports Xinhua.
Despite the scoreline, Scaloni insisted he never believed the match had slipped away. The coach felt Argentina had created enough opportunities throughout the game and had been punished mainly for failing to convert its earlier chances.
"I always felt the game was on our side. Beyond the result, I don't think the team was playing badly. We had chances," Scaloni said.
He also credited Egypt for its performance, describing it as "an excellent team" that took advantage of its opportunities, while maintaining that Argentina's overall display was much improved from its previous knockout match.
"Against Cabo Verde, it was worse; we really looked in trouble. Today, even when it was 0-2, the feeling was that at some point we would get a chance and could turn it around," Scaloni said. "Today we played totally different soccer."
The most emotional moment of the night, however, belonged to Messi. The Argentina captain missed a first-half penalty and briefly looked set to become the symbol of a painful elimination. Instead, he responded with a goal, an assist and the determination that helped inspire one of Argentina's most memorable comebacks.
Scaloni praised Messi's character and determination after another influential performance, describing the veteran forward as an example for everyone in the squad. "Messi is a role model for all the players," he said. "He missed a penalty, but he still asks for the ball and goes on and on."
The final whistle brought an emotional outpouring in the Argentina camp, with Scaloni and Messi shedding tears after a comeback that had seemed almost impossible minutes earlier. For Scaloni, those moments are exactly why former players often choose a career in coaching.
Scaloni praised Messi's character and determination after another influential performance, describing the veteran forward as an example for everyone in the squad. "Messi is a role model for all the players," he said. "He missed a penalty, but he still asks for the ball and goes on and on."
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"For all of us who played soccer for 20 years, to feel what we felt today again is incredible. I think most coaches who played soccer become coaches because of days like this, because of those emotions, the adrenaline," he added.