Argentina secured a 3-1 victory over Switzerland after extra time, advancing to the World Cup semi-finals. The match saw goals from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez in extra time, following an earlier goal by Alexis Mac Allister. Switzerland had equalised through Dan Ndoye, but were reduced to ten men after Breel Embolo received a second yellow card.
The encounter, described as a third consecutive dramatic knockout match for Argentina, keeps their hopes of winning back-to-back titles alive. Argentina will now face England in the semi-finals, following England‘s 2-1 extra-time win against Norway. This semi-final match is scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta.
Early Lead and Swiss Response
Argentina took an early lead in the 10th minute when Alexis Mac Allister headed in a corner from Lionel Messi. This goal marked Argentina‘s earliest in the current World Cup campaign and their 15th goal in six matches.
Despite the early setback, Switzerland began the match with purpose, pressing Argentina and creating some early opportunities. Granit Xhaka attempted a shot on goal in the 7th minute. After Argentina‘s goal, Switzerland continued to have an edge in possession and touches in the opposition box after the first hydration break. In the 32nd minute, Sow shot directly at Emi Martínez, and Breel Embolo nearly had a chance on a break two minutes later, but Lisandro Martínez and Emi Martínez intervened.
Switzerland‘s persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye struck from the left, levelling the score. Ndoye received the ball from Fernandez and sent it past Martínez into the bottom right corner. Prior to the equaliser, Ndoye had been making his presence felt on the left flank and had a shot parried by Martínez in the 65th minute.
Red Card and Extra Time Drama
Minutes after their equaliser, Switzerland faced a significant challenge when Breel Embolo was sent off in the 72nd minute. Initially, João Pinheiro, the referee, booked Leandro Paredes for an apparent foul on Embolo. However, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review showed a clear dive by Embolo, leading to his second yellow card and subsequent dismissal. This left Switzerland playing with ten men for the remainder of the match.
The game remained tied at 1-1 through regulation time, forcing it into extra time. Argentina pressed forward in the first half of extra time, with Thiago Almada making a run past the Swiss defence but shooting into the side netting. Switzerland also made changes, with Ardon Jashari replacing Denis Zakaria. During this period, Thiago Almada and Lautaro Martínez both received yellow cards for Argentina. Messi also had a free-kick from 25 yards hit the Swiss wall.
The deadlock was broken in the 112th minute of extra time when Julián Álvarez found the back of the net. He shot from outside the 18-yard box, and the ball dipped into the net, putting Argentina up 2-1. Moments later, Lautaro Martínez scored late off a rebound during a break, extending Argentina‘s lead to 3-1 and sealing their victory. Thiago Almada had replaced Fernandez in extra time, and Ottamendi came in for Cristian Romero in the second half of extra time.
Argentina will now prepare to face England on Wednesday in Atlanta.
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Source: m.rediff.com
