Argentina labour past Switzerland in extra time, England await | OneFootball

Argentina keep alive the dream of winning back-to-back titles at the 2026 World Cup. At the imposing Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Lionel Scaloni’s side defeated Switzerland 3-1 this Saturday in a true display of character, sealing their place in the World Cup semifinals after battling through 120 minutes of maximum tension.

The match could not have started better for the world champions. In the 10th minute of the first half, Alexis Mac Allister broke the deadlock and made it 1-0 after latching onto an assist from Lionel Messi, who drew level with legend Pelé as the top assist provider in World Cup history. However, the European side showed its solidity and, in the 67th minute of the second half, Dan Ndoye took advantage of a defensive lapse to make it 1-1, bringing back the ghosts of the previous round.

VAR, a red card, and relief in extra time

The match became highly physical and saw major controversy in the 72nd minute, when referee João Pinheiro turned to VAR to overturn a booking involving Leandro Paredes, instead deciding to send off Switzerland’s Breel Embolo for simulation. With an extra man on the pitch, and after Messi endured a heavy blow to the eye with ice pressed against it, Argentina tilted the game in its favor in extra time.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 112th minute with a thunderous right-footed strike from Julián Álvarez, who smashed home a dramatic stunner to send the stands into delirium. Then, in the closing moments of extra time, with Switzerland fully committed in attack, Lautaro Martínez finished off a textbook deadly counterattack to make it 3-1 and put the game to bed.

La Albiceleste had to suffer again at this World Cup, but proved it has quality to spare for the biggest moments. The next challenge will be enormous: on Wednesday, July 15, Argentina will face England in Atlanta for a place in the tournament’s grand final.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.