Argentina struggled once again, but found a way come out on top. A spectacular goal by Julián Álvarez in extra time set the stage for a 3-1 victory over Switzerland and secured the Albiceleste’s spot in the World Cup semifinals, where they will now face England.
After an intense battle at Arrowhead Stadium, the Argentine forward stepped up when his team needed him most. In the 112th minute, he received the ball outside the box and fired a well-placed shot into the corner to score his first goal of the tournament and spark celebrations among the defending champions.
Argentina had taken the lead very early in the match. Just 10 minutes in, Alexis Mac Allister headed in a corner kick taken by Lionel Messi to open the scoring.
However, the South American team lost momentum as the minutes ticked by, and Switzerland capitalized on that moment to tie the game thanks to a goal by Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute.
The match took a turn in the 72nd minute with the ejection of Breel Embolo. Initially, the referee showed Leandro Paredes a yellow card for a tackle on the Swiss forward, but after a video review, it was determined that Embolo was already falling before contact was made. Since the Swiss forward had already been booked, the card was corrected under the “false identity” protocol, and he ended up receiving a red card, leaving Switzerland with ten players for the remainder of the match.
With the numerical advantage, Argentina pressed forward until they were rewarded. Julián Álvarez’s spectacular goal broke Switzerland’s resistance, and as the match was drawing to a close, Lautaro Martínez sealed the 3-1 victory in the final seconds of extra time.
Although Lionel Messi saw his streak of scoring in nine consecutive matches come to an end, the Argentine captain remains focused on winning a second World Cup title in his career and helping Argentina secure its fourth World Cup in history.
The victory also set up a high-stakes semifinal. Argentina will face England, who hours earlier defeated Norway 2-1, also in extra time.
The Albiceleste, three-time world champions, also remain on the hunt for a historic feat: becoming the first team to successfully defend a World Cup title since Brazil did so in 1962.
