Argentina coach praises Flaco López after decisive cameo in 3-1 win over Switzerland | OneFootball

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni praised Palmeiras forward Flaco López after his sharp late cameo in the 3-1 quarter-final win over Switzerland that sealed a World Cup semi-final place.

He came on in the second half and took part in extra time. Nosso Palestra reports that Scaloni singled out the striker's impact after the game.

López's first major involvement was a neat pass for Julián Álvarez to score Argentina's second, giving the holders the lead. A third later clinched progression among the last four.

Asked about using younger players during the tournament, Scaloni said López had only five or six minutes but used them well. He added that selection depends on the needs of each match.

He noted that Barco and Simeone have already featured, and that López and Nico Paz would play when required.

This was only López's second World Cup outing, his first came in the group win over Jordan. The assist also delivered a quirky benchmark, matching Cristiano Ronaldo's one direct goal involvement in World Cup knockout matches. Ronaldo has one goal in 10 such games.

Source: Nosso Palestra