Argentina Advances Past Switzerland Into Semifinals

Argentina’s Knockout Trail

In Kansas City, Mo., the celebration continued long after the final whistle. Players sang with fans who were still clapping and jumping in unison for about 15 minutes. This third straight win puts Argentina in the semifinals, where they will face England on Wednesday.

The Albiceleste opened the knockout stage against Cape Verde, escaping with a 3‑2 victory after an own goal in the 111th minute. They then turned a 0‑2 deficit into a 3‑2 win over Egypt, scoring three goals in 13 minutes late in the match. A controversial VAR call erased an Egyptian goal, and a potential penalty for Mohamed Salah was denied.

The team’s emotional win over Egypt brought tears to Lionel Messi, who celebrated his game‑tying goal with rare intensity. Messi assisted Argentina’s opening goal against Switzerland but did not find the net, marking his first scoreless game in ten World Cup appearances.

A Tense Victory Over Switzerland

Argentina needed extra time again to defeat Switzerland 3‑1. Julian Alvarez’s curling strike in the 112th minute is being called the tournament’s best goal, leaving Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel with no chance. Lautaro Martinez added a calm finish nine minutes later to seal the win.

Breel Embolo was sent off in the 72nd minute, leaving Switzerland a man short for the remainder of regulation. Argentina struggled to create chances in the second half, and the stadium’s heavily pro‑Argentina crowd waited for a second goal that finally arrived in extra time.

After the match, Alvarez reflected on the frantic pace of World Cup knockout games. “We’re seeing that all the World Cup matches are like this… lots of stoppage time. That’s just how it’s going, but we know we have to fight to the very end and give it our all,” he said in Spanish.

Questions Ahead of the Semifinal

Argentina’s path to the semifinals has been a series of close calls, not dominated performances. The team also topped its group with wins over Algeria, Austria and Jordan before the nail‑biting knockout victories.

Fans gathered for a “banderazo” in a Kansas City park, waving flags and chanting “Believe.” Their belief stems from the comeback wins over Cape Verde and Egypt, where the team displayed a never‑say‑die attitude.

Can the Albiceleste become the first repeat champion since 1962? The upcoming clash against England will test whether the current squad can add another victory to their string of dramatic escapes.