Kansas City: Argentina advance to World Cup semi-finals after extra-time victory
Argentina secure semi-final berth
Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in a World Cup 2026 quarter-final match held in Kansas City. The victory sets up a highly anticipated semi-final clash against England. The match saw a decisive long-range effort from Julian Alvarez and a late goal from Lautaro Martinez to seal the win for the defending champions.
The encounter was far from straightforward for Argentina, who were pushed hard by a resilient Switzerland side. The South Americans will now face England in Atlanta on Wednesday, with the winner progressing to the final against either France or Spain. This will mark the first competitive meeting between Argentina and England in 24 years.
Key moments and controversial decisions
Argentina took an early lead in the 10th minute when Alexis Mac Allister headed in a cross from Lionel Messi. Despite this early setback, Switzerland maintained a positive approach, creating several chances. Breel Embolo had a promising opportunity in the first half, but a combined effort from Lisandro Martinez and Emi Martinez prevented him from getting a shot away. Shortly after the restart, Lisandro Martinez made a crucial block to deny Embolo a clear goal-scoring chance.
Switzerland’s persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye linked up with Ricardo Rodriguez and scored from a tight angle, levelling the game. However, the Swiss’s celebrations were short-lived. Just five minutes after the equaliser, a controversial incident led to Embolo’s dismissal. Leandro Paredes was initially booked for a foul on Embolo, but a VAR review, under new mistaken identity rules, led referee Joao Pinheiro to show Embolo a second yellow card for simulation instead. This decision left Embolo inconsolable and significantly altered the dynamics of the match.
Both Messi and Mac Allister had opportunities to secure a win for Argentina before the end of normal time, but they were unable to prevent the match from going into extra time. Switzerland, reduced to 10 men, managed to hold the reigning world champions at bay for the first 15 minutes of extra time, aiming to force a penalty shootout.
Extra-time drama and semi-final implications
The deadlock was finally broken in the 112th minute by Julian Alvarez, who scored a stunning goal from 25 yards, curling his shot into the top right corner. This goal restored Argentina’s lead and shifted the momentum. In the dying moments of extra time, with Switzerland pushing forward and leaving gaps in their defence, Lautaro Martinez capitalised. Following a counterattack initiated by Thiago Almada, whose initial shot was saved, Martinez slotted home the third goal, adding gloss to the scoreline.
The victory extends Argentina’s unbeaten run in World Cup games to 12, a streak that began in the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Their aspiration to become the first back-to-back champion since Brazil in 1962 remains alive. The taxing nature of the competition, which has seen Argentina pushed to extra time twice, including their round of 32 match against Cape Verde, raises questions about their fatigue heading into the semi-finals.
However, England also experienced an extended match, needing extra time to defeat Norway. This suggests that both teams might face similar levels of exhaustion, potentially levelling the playing field for their upcoming semi-final clash in Atlanta. The other semi-final will feature Spain against France, the team Argentina defeated in the Qatar 2022 final.
The match also sparked considerable discussion regarding refereeing decisions and the application of VAR, particularly concerning Embolo’s sending-off. Despite the controversy, Argentina secured their place in the semi-finals, with the next match scheduled for Wednesday.
Read Also
Source: theguardian.com
As News GB's Senior Football Correspondent, Lewis Hartnell reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on south-coast football for a regional title. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Solent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Lewis lives in Southampton, where he watches youth football and follows the transfer market. “The week's training ground decides the weekend's headlines.”
