Defending champions Argentina kept their dream of retaining the FIFA World Cup alive with a dramatic 3-1 victory over a resilient Switzerland side in the quarterfinals on Sunday (July 12). In a grueling contest that went deep into extra time at the Kansas City Stadium, Julián Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez scored late screamers to shatter the Swiss fairytale and book Argentina a colossal semifinal clash against England in Atlanta this Wednesday (July 15).
Alvarez and Martínez Break Swiss Hearts in Extra Time
The tension in Missouri reached a fever pitch after regular time ended locked at 1-1. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 112th minute when Julián Alvarez, who had been quiet for much of the tournament, unleashed a magnificent curling strike from 25 yards out that nestled into the top right corner, leaving Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel with absolutely no chance.
With Switzerland throwing bodies forward in a desperate attempt to force penalties, Argentina capitalized on the counter. In the 120th minute, Lautaro Martínez added the final flourish, slotting the ball into an empty net after an initial attempt from Thiago Almada was parried into his path, effectively sealing La Albiceleste’s ticket to the last four.
Controversial Red Card Changes the Match Dynamics
The match’s turning point arrived midway through the second half, entirely shifting the momentum that Switzerland had meticulously built. After falling behind to an early Alexis Mac Allister header, the Swiss had clawed their way back into the game, equalizing in the 67th minute through a brilliant finish by Dan Ndoye from a tight angle.
However, just five minutes later, disaster struck for the Europeans. Striker Breel Embolo went down under a challenge from Leandro Paredes. Following a tense VAR review applying FIFA’s new “mistaken identity” protocol, officials ruled that Embolo had simulated the contact. Having already been booked earlier in the match, Embolo was shown a second yellow card and sent off, reducing Switzerland to 10 men and forcing them into a rigid defensive block to survive until extra time.
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Messi Pulls the Strings as Argentina Chase History
While he didn’t find the back of the net, snapping his impressive nine-game World Cup scoring streak, captain Lionel Messi remained instrumental in Argentina’s triumph. It was Messi’s pinpoint corner delivery in the 10th minute that found the head of Alexis Mac Allister, giving Argentina their initial lead.
The victory stretches Argentina’s unbeaten run at the World Cup to 12 matches, a streak dating back to their historic triumph in Qatar. Lionel Scaloni’s side now faces their toughest test yet against an England squad fresh off a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Norway, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2026 tournament.