By Bilal Ahmed
Argentina secures semifinal spot
Argentina has advanced to the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in extra time. The decisive match saw Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez score late goals to secure the victory for the defending champions.
The match, played at Kansas City Stadium, saw Argentina take an early lead in the 10th minute. Alexis Mac Allister headed in a cross from Lionel Messi to open the scoring. However, Switzerland responded in the 67th minute with an equalizer from Dan Ndoye, slotting home from close range.
Key moments and red card incident
A significant turning point occurred in the 72nd minute when Switzerland’s Breel Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation, leading to his dismissal. The referee’s initial decision to book Leandro Paredes of Argentina was overturned after a VAR review, which determined that Embolo had dived to win a free kick. This controversial decision left Switzerland playing with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite being a man down, Switzerland pushed the game into extra time. Argentina pressed for a winner in normal time, with Lisandro Martinez and Lionel Messi both having opportunities. Martinez’s scissor-kick lacked power, and Messi’s chip was saved, though replays suggested it might have been onside despite the assistant referee’s flag.
Extra-time drama and progression
The deadlock was finally broken in the 112th minute when Julian Alvarez, who was later named FIFA Player of the Match, scored with a curling effort from 25 yards. This stunning goal gave Argentina a crucial lead. As Switzerland committed players forward in search of another equalizer, they left gaps at the back.
Lautaro Martinez capitalized on this in stoppage time of extra time, scoring Argentina’s third goal after a counterattack initiated by Thiago Almada. Almada’s initial shot deflected into Martinez’s path, allowing him to seal the victory. This win means Argentina will now face old rivals England in the semifinals on Wednesday in Atlanta.
The upcoming semifinal clash between Argentina and England is highly anticipated, given the historical rivalry between the two nations, including their encounter in the 1986 quarter-final. This will be the first time since 1992 that the top four ranked teams by FIFA have reached the semifinals of the World Cup. The other semifinal will feature Spain against France on Tuesday.
Argentina’s journey in the tournament has seen them pushed to extra time in previous matches, including against Cape Verde in the round of 32. England also required extra time to defeat Norway. Lionel Messi, at 39, played the full 120 minutes against Switzerland, demonstrating his continued influence on the team.
The match echoed a previous encounter in 2014, when Argentina defeated Switzerland 1-0 in the round of 16, with Angel Di Maria scoring in the 118th minute. Twelve years later, Argentina once again broke Swiss hearts, this time in the 112th minute.
The celebrations on the pitch after the final whistle included players joining fans in the traditional Argentine chant, “El que no salta es un ingles” (he who doesn’t jump is an Englishman), setting the stage for their upcoming semifinal against England.
The semifinals will feature four teams that have all previously won the World Cup, a rare occurrence that has only happened twice before, in 1970 and 1990. Lisandro Martinez has played every minute of all the games he has featured in during this World Cup, missing only the group stage game against Jordan when he was rested.
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Source: nytimes.com
