​Julian Alvarez delivered a sensational goal as Argentina edged past 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time on Saturday, setting up a tantalising World Cup semi-final against their bitter rivals England. The partisan Argentinian supporters filled the Kansas City venue, erupting with joy as early as the 10th minute when their talisman Lionel Messi orchestrated Alexis Mac Allister’s opener.
Switzerland responded with resilience, levelling the score midway through the second half thanks to Dan Ndoye, only for disaster to strike soon after when Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation, leaving his side a man light. The match advanced to extra time, during which Switzerland stifled wave after wave of Argentine pressure. Yet in the 112th minute, Alvarez produced a moment of brilliance, bending a stunning strike into the top corner to tilt the balance decisively in Argentina’s favour. Lautaro Martinez capped the win with a late third, sealing a hard-fought triumph for Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium.
With this victory, Argentina moved into the top four of FIFA’s rankings for the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament. They have now gone 12 consecutive World Cup matches without defeat, chasing a historic feat: becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to defend their title. The South Americans had cruised through the group phase but had endured tense moments, narrowly overcoming weaker opponents like Cape Verde and staging a dramatic comeback against Egypt. Saturday’s clash, though, was another attritional battle against a Swiss side aiming to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time.
Argentina drew first blood with their opening on-target effort when Liverpool’s Mac Allister rose above Djibril Sow and Embolo to head the ball into the far corner. Messi, the creator from a corner, increased his assists tally across six World Cups to 10 and sat level on eight goals with Kylian Mbappe at the top of the Golden Boot chart, though he did not find the net on this occasion. The Swiss offered a counter-punching threat but failed to capitalise on a key opportunity around the 30th minute when Emiliano Martinez hurried off his line to smother Embolo’s effort.
The Argentines failed to muster another on-target attempt before the break as Switzerland dictated possession and outworked their opponents. In the second half, Murat Yakin’s men grew into the game and finally found their equaliser in the 67th minute when Ndoye finished off a clever move initiated by Ricardo Rodriguez. Just five minutes later, Embolo, already booked in the first half, collapsed theatrically under a challenge and was dismissed following a VAR review, leaving Switzerland with a difficult task.
Mac Allister squandered a golden chance from close range as the clock wound down, glancing a header off target, and Messi curled another effort narrowly wide as Switzerland clung on for extra time. The extra period proved stubborn for both sides, but Alvarez finally broke the deadlock with a spectacular strike, igniting his teammates’ celebrations and sending Argentina into the lead. The squad, joining him on the pitch in jubilation, embraced the moment as they secured the advantage.
Argentina’s late flourish was completed when Martinez added a third to seal the result, capping a memorable performance and securing a spot in the World Cup semi-finals to face England. The result underscored Argentina’s continued excellence and resilience in a tournament where they have shown grit, quality, and a fearsome attacking threat. The victory keeps them poised to chase a potential back-to-back World Cup triumph, a feat that would echo the success of Brazil in 1962.