Argentina celebrate the first goal with their captain

The Argentine captain Fernando Cavenaghi scored the winner in the 110th minute to give his side a 2-1 victory and a quarterfinal berth.

The high-paced game went into extra-time after Cavenaghi and Egyptian striker Rida Metwally scored first-half goals.

Reigning champions Argentina went into the game as favourites after winning all their group games and beating Egypt 7-1 when the two sides last met in the World Youth Championships in 2001.

But Egypt's players were not overawed and refused to lie down.

They took the game to their opponents from the opening whistle and created numerous scoring opportunities.

Argentina scored first in the 27th minute through Cavenaghi, who curled a free kick around the Egyptian wall and past a host of other slow-to-react defenders from about 25 yards out.

Metwally equalized from close range in the 42nd minute, scoring after teammate Emad Motab gathered the ball inside the penalty area and tried to round Argentine goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa, who punched the ball into Metwally's path.

Cavenaghi's winner came after midfielder Javier Mascherano made a bustling run across the face of the Egyptian goal.

He beat three defenders before playing the ball to Cavenaghi, whose first shot was saved by Egyptian captain and goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy.

But the Argentine skipper pounced on the loose ball and made the most of his second chance.

Four minutes into the match, Egypt had a goal disallowed after midfielder Mohamed Abdel Wahab fired the ball into the back of the Argentine net, but was called offside by a linesman.