Argentina beat Swiss 3-1 after extra time to reach World Cup semi-finals
Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to reach the World Cup semi-finals. Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure the win. Lionel Messi's Argentina side kept alive their bid to become the first team to retain the World Cup since B…
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Argentina's Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure a dramatic 3-1 quarter-final win over 10-man Switzerland. The win sets up a heavyweight last-four clash against England in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Argentina's soccer team won a big game against Switzerland in the World Cup. They scored three goals, including two in extra time, to win 3-1. This means they get to play in the next round of the tournament against England.
Analysis
A Dramatic Win for Argentina
Argentina's Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure a dramatic 3-1 quarter-final win over 10-man Switzerland. The win sets up a heavyweight last-four clash against England in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The Swiss had reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, but fell one match short of an unprecedented semi-final appearance, suffering a major blow when Breel Embolo was sent off for diving in the 72nd minute.
The thriller - Kansas City's final game of the tournament - looked headed for a shootout before Alvarez whipped a gorgeous long-range shot into the top corner in the 112th minute that Gregor Kobel at full-stretch had no chance of saving. Martinez added a third for the holders nine minutes later when he calmly slotted home the rebound of Thiago Almada's shot.
Alexis Mac Allister had given Argentina the lead in the 10th minute, meeting Messi's corner at the front post with a flicked header that sailed beyond Kobel and into the far corner. It was the first time Switzerland had trailed in the tournament.
The Swiss refused to wilt however. After a largely uneventful first half, the contest burst into life as Switzerland repeatedly tested Emiliano Martinez, forcing the Argentina goalkeeper into a string of sharp saves and jolting the South American supporters into full voice. An equaliser felt inevitable as the Swiss piled on the pressure, and they were rewarded in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye exchanged passes with Ricardo Rodriguez down the left before sliding a right-footed finish through Martinez's legs.
Ndoye snarled into the nearest television camera as Switzerland's fans erupted. But the Swiss were reduced to 10 men when Embolo got a second yellow card for simulation. It came after a lengthy VAR review for mistaken identity, with the referee overturning his initial decision to caution Argentina's Leandro Paredes. Embolo collapsed in tears and was consoled by teammates as he left the pitch.
Argentina reasserted their dominance in the second half, with Messi and his teammates pushing for a second goal. The win sets up a thrilling semi-final clash against England, who will be looking to avenge their 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina.
Key points
- Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
- Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure the win.
- Lionel Messi's Argentina side kept alive their bid to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.
- Switzerland had reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, but fell one match short of an unprecedented semi-final appearance.
- Breel Embolo was sent off for diving in the 72nd minute, reducing Switzerland to 10 men.
Argentina's win sets up a thrilling semi-final clash against England, who will be looking to avenge their 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina. If Argentina can replicate their performance from this game, they could be on their way to a World Cup title.
However, Argentina's win also came at a cost, with Lionel Messi's team struggling to find their footing in the first half. If they fail to address their defensive issues, they could be in for a tough semi-final clash against England.
