​Argentina will take on England in the World Cup semi-finals after just scraping past a brave Switzerland side in Kansas City. A moment of pure quality from Julian Alvarez in extra time decided a tense and controversial contest, and the holders eventually edged through 3-1.
The champions began with the ideal start, as Alexis Mac Allister rose untouched to head Lionel Messi’s corner into the net after only 10 minutes, punishing Switzerland for lax defending at set pieces. It marked the second consecutive time that Mac Allister had been left unmarked at a corner, signaling a warning for the Swiss defense early on. As the match progressed, Switzerland grew into the game and created chances of their own. Breel Embolo threatened on a couple of occasions before Dan Ndoye drew level in the 67th minute, finishing expertly from a tight angle after exchanging a clever one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez.
Murat Yakin’s side felt a sense of potential shock against the reigning champions, and for a period the match looked poised to tilt in their favor. The turning point came when Embolo received a second yellow card following a VAR review that adjudged a dive for simulation, despite appearing to have been fouled by Leandro Paredes near midfield. Replays later indicated that Embolo had gone down without contact, and Paredes had his booking subsequently rescinded. Embolo left the field in tears, and with ten men, Switzerland defended stoutly for the remainder of regulation time and into extra time, wringing every last drop of effort from their tired bodies.
Penalties seemed increasingly likely as extra time wore on, but Alvarez had other plans. In the 112th minute, the Manchester City forward produced a moment of individual brilliance, curling a strike from 25 yards into the top corner to give Gregor Kobel no chance and effectively decide the tie. It was a goal worthy of any major knockout encounter. Late on, Lautaro Martinez added a third for Argentina, poking home a rebound after Thiago Almada’s effort was saved. The final act confirmed Switzerland’s stubborn resistance had finally been broken, marking their best World Cup run since 1954.
Notably, Lionel Messi’s scoreless run for this tournament ended a remarkable streak as he failed to notch a goal for the first time in 10 World Cup matches, bringing to a close a remarkable run of nine consecutive scoring appearances in World Cup games. With the win, Argentina advance to face England in Atlanta on Wednesday at 20:00 BST, marking the first competitive meeting between the two nations in 24 years.
Further coverage notes that England’s performance against Norway left Gareth Southgate’s side deserving of praise, with captain Bellingham providing inspiration amid a compact and efficient display as the Three Lions advanced to the semi-finals. For additional context on England’ s progress, fans can explore post-match player ratings against Norway to gauge how the squad has evolved on the road to the semi-finals. The upcoming clash against Argentina promises to be a high-profile, high-stakes encounter, separating two storied footballing nations as they pursue a place in the World Cup final.