Defending champions Argentina secured their berth in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time win over resilient 10-man Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium. Lionel Scaloni's men dodged a bullet after being pegged back in normal time, but individual brilliance in the extra-time led to a close win for the South American nation.
Resilience from Switzerland at the first-half
Argentina started with the intent expected of title holders, unlocking the compact Swiss defense in the 10th minute of the game. Lionel Messi became the assist provider, with a brilliant cross from a corner into the six-yard box Alexis Mac Allister to power home a header. Despite taking the early lead, Argentina failed to stamp their dominance, as they lacked the intensity to match Switzerland's pressing.
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The European side stayed compact and aggressive to frustrate the 2024 Copa America champions and made sure that the deficit remained at just one goal going into the halftime whistle.
The second half of the game turned out to be a tactical battle that exploded into high drama after Switzerland managed to find the back of the net in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye banked on a lapse in the opponent's backline to slot home from close range. Five minutes later, the game took a dramatic turn when a VAR review for "mistaken identity" led the referee to overturn a booking given to Leandro Paredes, instead issuing a decisive second yellow card to Switzerland attacker Breel Embolo for simulation.
Down to ten men, Switzerland forced the game into the extra-time with tremendous defending despite having a numerical disadvantage against the Argentine side. However, the ultimate breakthrough arrived in the 112th minute when Substitute Jose Manuel Lopez found Julian Alvarez, who cut inside from the left edge of the area and unleashed a stunning curled shot into the top corner. Lautaro Martinez then added the safety net goal with virtually the last kick of the game, smashing home a counter-attack rebound in the 120th minute to secure a 3-1 win.
Argentina's opponent in the semi-finals
Following their dramatic 3-1 win over Switzerland in the quarter-final clash, Argentina have secured their berth in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals. La Albiceleste will lock horns against England, who advanced to the semis after defeating Norway 2-1 in their quarter-final clash. The semi-final game will take place on Wednesday, July 16 (As per IST) at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta.