KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Julián Alvarez propelled defending champion Argentina into the World Cup semifinals with a stunning long-range strike in the 112th minute against Switzerland, while Lautaro Martínez added a second goal in the dying moments of extra time, sealing a 3-1 victory. Alexis Mac Allister also contributed to the scoreline with a goal off a corner kick delivered by Lionel Messi, as Argentina advanced to face England on Wednesday in Atlanta. Earlier that day, England defeated Norway 2-1, securing their spot in the semifinals.
Alvarez expressed pride in reaching the final four, acknowledging the difficulties faced during the match. “We’re among the best four, so we’re meeting our objectives, and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” he stated. “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.”
Despite Messi's nine-game World Cup scoring streak coming to an end, his pursuit of a second title continues. The semifinals will see Argentina and England join France and Spain, marking the first time all top four teams in the FIFA rankings have reached this stage together.
The match shifted dramatically in the second half after a controversial decision that sparked criticism towards refereeing bias favoring Argentina. The Swiss had just equalized with a goal from Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute when Leandro Paredes was issued a yellow card for a tackle on Breel Embolo. Controversially, video evidence indicated that Embolo had fallen prior to contact, leading to his red card due to prior yellow card accumulation, leaving Switzerland with 10 men. This marked the second instance of a yellow card being overturned for “mistaken identity” in this World Cup, highlighting the VAR's role in officiating.
Argentina, riding a 12-match unbeaten streak in World Cup play, had previously looked vulnerable in the knockout stages, having needed extra time to narrowly defeat Cape Verde and overcoming a 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt before facing Switzerland. On the other hand, Switzerland was making its first quarterfinal appearance since 1954 and has never reached a semifinal, with a record of not beating Argentina in their eight encounters, three of which took place during World Cup competitions.
For the past month, Argentina has stationed itself in Kansas City, training at the facilities of MLS club Sporting Kansas City and gaining numerous supporters. Saturday night saw them fill Arrowhead Stadium once more, hoping for a repeat of Messi's dazzling performances, following his hat trick against Algeria earlier in the tournament.
Despite oppressive heat and humidity throughout the day, the fall of night brought a cooler atmosphere, serving as a backdrop for the 100th match of the expanded World Cup and the conclusion of the quarterfinals. The defensively focused Swiss side had previously conceded only three goals throughout the tournament, dominating possession during the opening minutes. However, Messi quickly energized the Argentine-supporting crowd, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, when he orchestrated a corner that led to Mac Allister's opening goal.
Swiss players found it challenging to penetrate an Argentine defense that had allowed a couple of goals in recent matches. The absence of Johan Manzabi, a key Swiss scorer who was sidelined with a knee injury, was palpable. Following some impressive saves from Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Switzerland found the net, thanks to a slick pass from Ricardo Rodriguez to Ndoye in the 67th minute.
However, any momentum gained from the equalizer quickly dissipated with Embolo’s dismissal just minutes later. Argentina escalated its offensive efforts, with Mac Allister narrowly missing a header in the 89th minute. Messi engineered a close-range chance in stoppage time but sent it wide, pushing the match into extra time.
As they have done throughout the tournament, La Albiceleste once again proved their resilience and determination to defend their World Cup title. “We knew this could happen,” remarked Argentina midfielder Thiago Almada. “They have top players, very good position, they were trying to find people inside. We knew how to hold up, and we made it through.”
