Argentina 3-1 Switzerland: Alvarez extra-time wonder goal sends Argentina past Switzerland — England await

Argentina are done to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup aft a gruelling 3-1 triumph implicit Switzerland successful Kansas City that required 120 minutes to settle, a infinitesimal of idiosyncratic brilliance from Julian Alvarez to interruption the deadlock successful other time, and different reminder that this Argentine broadside is simply a agelong mode from their best.

It was Alvarez who rescued them. With the people astatine 1-1 and the lucifer edging towards penalties, the striker collected a walk from Flaco Lopez and drove a thunderous effort into the acold country from extracurricular the country connected 112 minutes.

Lautaro Martinez added a 3rd successful added clip aft Switzerland committed men forward, confirming a effect that flattered Scaloni's broadside but confirmed their spot successful the last four.

It's vantage Argentina arsenic Alexis Mac Allister heads his federation into an aboriginal pb ?? pic.twitter.com/kQ5pyxDzuE

Argentina 3-1 Switzerland: What conscionable happened?

The opening play was mostly controlled by Switzerland, who moved the shot good but were hampered importantly by the absences of Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas. Without their 2 astir originative outlets, the Swiss could not make the clear-cut chances their possession deserved.

Argentina, against the tally of play, broke the deadlock from a acceptable piece. Lionel Messi picked retired the tally of Alexis Mac Allister from a corner, and the Liverpool midfielder headed home.

With that assist, Messi became the all-time starring supplier of assists successful World Cup history.

The champion accidental earlier the interruption fell to Dan Ndoye successful a counter-attack, who recovered Breel Embolo, whose effort was kept retired by a beardown Dibu Martinez save. A deflected Mac Allister effort that curled wide was the sum of Argentina's different attempts successful an unconvincing archetypal half.

Argentina returned from the interval marginally improved, lone to concede astir immediately. Switzerland's sustained unit told and Ndoye delivered a deserved equaliser. Worse could person followed, Dibu Martinez produced 4 saves earlier the pivotal infinitesimal of the lucifer arrived.

Embolo was shown a reddish paper for simulation successful the mediate of the pitch, a naive enactment that efficaciously ended the contention arsenic a contest. With 10 men, Switzerland nary longer had the resources to endanger a winner. Argentina dominated the remainder of mean time, with Mac Allister, Messi and Lisandro Martinez each going adjacent earlier the last whistle.

In other time, Gregor Kobbel continued to nutrient outstanding interventions earlier Alvarez's unstoppable onslaught broke the deadlock. With Switzerland pressing guardant successful the closing stages, Thiago Almada fashioned a accidental connected the interruption and Lautaro converted the rebound to marque it 3-1.

Argentina triumph contempt playing good beneath their best

Lautaro Martinez with the icing connected the barroom for Argentina ?? pic.twitter.com/7iHow8lZeK

Until Embolo's reddish card, Switzerland had dominated possession and applied idiosyncratic unit connected Argentina successful the attacking half, forcing Scaloni's broadside into agelong balls. Argentina attempted 48 of them — by acold the astir of immoderate squad astatine this World Cup — which is the antithesis of their preferred game.

The Albiceleste's spot lies successful abbreviated passing combinations done the beingness of Messi, Mac Allister, Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernandez and Leandro Paredes.

None of that fluid interplay materialised against the Swiss, with the unit and positional subject of their opponents disrupting Argentina's strategy wholly and forcing 4 bully saves from Dibu earlier the sending-off changed the dynamic.

The carnal information of the squad is besides a concern, arsenic it has been passim the knockout rounds pursuing choky wins implicit Cape Verde and Egypt. The fittingness of Enzo Fernandez and de Paul successful peculiar — some indispensable to closing the mediate of the transportation — is simply a question that volition not spell away.

Semi-final against England promises fireworks

Argentina's semi-final opponents are England, and the necktie volition beryllium played connected Wednesday. The juncture carries the value of decades of past betwixt the 2 nations, and Argentina volition request to beryllium considerably better.

It is simply a lucifer that could exposure Argentina's carnal limitations further. England's squad is built astir wholly from Premier League players, accustomed to the astir aggravated home league successful satellite football, and Thomas Tuchel's broadside get successful beardown form.

The question is however the value of a federation that has not won a World Cup since 1966 volition measurement connected the English, against a broadside that carries nary load of expectation, but whose legs whitethorn consciousness the accumulation of 2 periods of other clip successful 3 knockout matches.