For a time in the second half, Lionel Messi looked dazed, as if unable to comprehend what was happening to him and his team.
He had missed a penalty and Argentina were 2-0 down to Egypt, their defence of their title seemingly in tatters.
And then something clicked.
It was as if a fire had been lit inside him. And almost in the blink of an eye, Argentina were 3-2 up and Egypt, so close to making history by reaching the World Cup quarter-final for the first time, were out, victims of a classic remontada.
Messi made the first on 79 minutes with a cross that was headed home by Cristian Romero and scored the second four minutes later with a magnificent first-time shot that flew in off the crossbar.
And even if he played no part in the third, a stunning counter-attack rounded off by Enzo Fernandez, it felt like the Messi effect was what had turned a hitherto shambolic Argentina performance around.
📝 @OliverKay