Defending champions Argentina booked their place in the World Cup semifinals on Saturday, grinding out a 3-1 extra-time win over ten-man Switzerland to set up a blockbuster semifinal meeting with England in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi’s side needed a stunning long-range strike from substitute-turned-hero Julian Alvarez to break the deadlock in extra time, before Lautaro Martinez added a third deep into stoppage time to settle a contest that had swung back and forth across two hours at Kansas City Stadium.
Argentina made the perfect start when Alexis Mac Allister rose unmarked at a corner in the 10th minute, heading home a pinpoint delivery from Messi to give the two-time reigning champions an early lead in this stage of the World Cup. It appeared to be the platform for a routine passage into the semifinals, but Switzerland refused to fold.
The Swiss, appearing in their first-ever World Cup quarterfinal of this depth, drew level in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye combined smartly with Ricardo Rodriguez before slotting a low finish beneath goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from a tight angle. It was just reward for a spell of sustained pressure that had already forced a string of saves.
Switzerland’s momentum was halted five minutes later in dramatic fashion. Leandro Paredes was initially booked for a foul on Breel Embolo, but the video assistant referee intervened under a new mistaken-identity review rule introduced for this World Cup, prompting Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro to reverse his decision. Replays instead showed Embolo diving to win the free kick, and the Swiss forward was shown a second yellow card and sent off, leaving his side to play the closing stages of normal time and the entirety of extra time a man short.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Switzerland held firm and nearly snatched a stunning winner in normal time, with Argentina also going close through Lisandro Martínez and Messi himself, who saw a one-on-one effort ruled out for offside — though replays suggested it may have stood.
The deadlock finally broke in the 112th minute when Alvarez unleashed a rasping effort from 25 yards that flew into the top corner, silencing the Swiss resistance and lifting the reigning champions in this edition of the World Cup. As Switzerland pushed players forward in search of an equalizer, they were left exposed at the back, and Lautaro Martínez pounced deep into stoppage time to convert a counterattack sparked by Thiago Almada, sealing the 3-1 victory.
The result means Argentina, chasing back-to-back titles after their triumph in Qatar, will face England in the semifinals of the World Cup on Wednesday in Atlanta, a first competitive meeting between the two nations in 24 years. Only Italy and Brazil have previously defended a World Cup crown, underlining the scale of the task facing Scaloni’s men.
England also required extra time to see off Norway 2-1 on Saturday, meaning both semifinalists will arrive in Atlanta having played an additional 30 minutes across the knockout rounds. Argentina has now gone the distance twice in this World Cup, having also needed extra time to see off Cape Verde in the round of 32, raising questions about fatigue levels heading into the final stretch of the tournament.
In the other semifinal, Spain will meet France — the side Argentina beat in the 2022 final — on Tuesday, with the winner awaiting the victor of Wednesday’s clash in the World Cup final.
At 39, Messi continues to defy expectations on the sport’s biggest stage, and with Argentina one win away from a return to the World Cup final, the Barcelona-born forward remains determined to add one more chapter to his storied international career before this tournament reaches its climax.
