KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Defending champion Argentina made a triumphant return to the World Cup semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland, thanks to a remarkable long-range strike from Julián Alvarez in the 112th minute. Lautaro Martínez added another goal just seconds before the end of extra time, which made the final scoreline appear more comfortable than the match suggested.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for Argentina, converting a corner kick delivered by Lionel Messi. This match demonstrated once again Argentina's resilience, as they managed to pull through in a clutch situation to advance to meet England in the semifinals on Wednesday in Atlanta. Earlier that day, England edged past Norway with a 2-1 win.
“We’re among the best four,” said Alvarez, expressing satisfaction with their achievement. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. The whole match was hard, and we would have loved to have the win earlier, but we tried to get the win however we could.”
Although Messi's nine-game World Cup scoring streak came to an end, his pursuit of a second World Cup title is still alive. Argentina and England now join France and Spain in the semifinals, marking a rare occasion where the top four teams in the FIFA rankings have all progressed this far in the tournament.
The match's turning point occurred in the second half, much to the frustration of critics who feel Argentina has benefitted from favorable officiating. After Switzerland equalized with a goal from Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute, a controversial yellow card was issued to Leandro Paredes for a tackle on Breel Embolo. Video evidence later revealed that Embolo had fallen before contact was made, resulting in Embolo receiving a second yellow card and being sent off, leaving Switzerland with only ten players.
This decision was significant as it marked the second use of the “mistaken identity” protocol at the World Cup, which allows the video assistant referee to correct errors in player carding. Swiss defender Nico Elvedi expressed confusion over how VAR could arrive at such a decision.
Argentina, currently on a 12-match unbeaten streak in the World Cup, displayed some vulnerability during knockout rounds. They required extra time to defeat tiny Cape Verde and staged a dramatic comeback against Egypt to reach the quarterfinals. Conversely, this match represented Switzerland’s first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954; they have yet to reach a semifinal and have a history of struggles against Argentina, failing to secure a victory in eight encounters, three of which were in the World Cup.
Over the past month, Argentina has made Kansas City their base, training at the facilities of MLS club Sporting Kansas City while winning over new fans. The atmosphere in Arrowhead Stadium was electric, with local celebrity support including Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in attendance, as fans anticipated more magic from Messi following his dazzling hat trick against Algeria in a previous match.
The weather during the day was oppressively hot and humid, but as night fell, it created a picturesque backdrop for the 100th match of this expanded World Cup and the last of the quarterfinals. Switzerland came into the game with a strong defensive reputation, having conceded only three goals in five matches, but struggled to penetrate an Argentine backline that had shown vulnerabilities in previous outings.
Despite missing star Johan Manzabi due to injury, Switzerland put pressure on Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with several tough shots. They managed to equalize, but the momentum shifted dramatically following Embolo’s red card. Argentina intensified their efforts, with Mac Allister missing a crucial header in the 89th minute and Messi narrowly missing another opportunity in stoppage time.
Ultimately, Argentina’s experience and tenacity prevailed, securing their place in the semifinals and keeping alive their hopes of back-to-back championships. “We knew this could happen,” said Argentina midfielder Thiago Almada, reflecting on the match’s intensity and Switzerland’s strong play.
