​Argentina didn’t do it the easy way, and while their defense of the World Cup grows increasingly hard to buy, the tournament has a way of dragging on. Kansas City acted like a Buenos Aires home game in parts of the Midwest, a cityscape of euphoric scenes and a spectacular goal clashing with a performance that felt utterly uninspired. They might not care about the criticism, not when a grudge match against England looms large and Julian Alvarez can deliver a moment to remember, his precise strike curling into the top corner at Arrowhead Stadium. Just when it looked as if Argentina were dangerously over-reliant on Lionel Messi, someone else stepped up with a moment of extraordinary quality. Then, in the 121st minute, Lautaro Martinez added a gloss to the scoreline, though he wasn’t the pivotal figure of the night.
Yet the real story belonged to two forwards, neither of them Martinez. Alvarez, finally opening his World Cup account, propelled Argentina into a second consecutive semi-final. Breel Embolo’s error may have cost Switzerland their own historic place in the tournament, as they found themselves level and the better side when his red card—eventually justified by VAR for a dive—forced them into a defensive stance. It seemed they would cling to penalties, with Argentina struggling to unlock a resolute defense, until Alvarez unleashed a decisive burst of speed and power. In the end, the scoreline was softened for Swiss sensibilities by a late strike, but the momentum had already shifted.
So once again, Argentina advanced in a way that showcased their fighting spirit even as it exposed their vulnerabilities. Their knockout-path looked deceptively straightforward—Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland—but the path turned into a gauntlet, demanding resilience and nerve. They have twice needed extra time, conceded five goals, and flirted with elimination at each stage. Yet they also demonstrated a capacity for survival in perilous moments and for turning brinkmanship into progress.
Coach Lionel Scaloni could certainly claim a hand in this outcome. The third goal came from a sequence that involved two substitutes, with Martinez following up to score after Thiago Almada’s shot was blocked. Almada had already shown impact with a 20-yard strike that rattled the post. But Argentina still lacked a consistent creative spark, especially on the flanks, and when Messi had a quiet night—even as he earned an assist—the team looked underwhelming overall. The captain’s scoring run finally ended at nine consecutive World Cup matches, another statistic likely to be talked about long after this tournament. For too long, though, Argentina resembled a one-man outfit when that man was enjoying a rare off-day. He stirred late, attempting to loft a lob over Gregor Kobel and then firing narrowly wide at the end of regulation time, before peppering the goalkeeper with chances in extra time. For much of the evening, he appeared to drift through Missouri while his teammates wandered in his wake.
At least Messi demonstrated that his set-piece difficulties do not apply to the penalty area disruption. For the third straight game, Argentina converted from one of his corners, Alexis Mac Allister rising above Djibril Sow to nod home. It felt almost too easy, perhaps an intentional ruse to lull Switzerland into a false sense of security. In the wake of that goal, Argentina defended with purpose and organization, and the Swiss, for all their vitality, found their best moments snuffed out. In the end, the game became another test of Argentina’s nerve in late stages: a blend of patience, grit, and opportunism that keeps lifting them past obstacles—yet leaves room for improvement in technique, balance, and the creases of a side still very much a work in progress.