For 111 tense minutes in Kansas City, Switzerland stood between Argentina and another World Cup semifinal. The defending champions had the ball, the crowd, and eventually an extra player. They still could not find a way through.
Then Julián Álvarez saw a sliver of space and punished it.
His curling strike in the 112th minute carried Argentina past Switzerland, ending a contest that began with an early Alexis Mac Allister goal and shifted sharply after Dan Ndoye equalized. Breel Embolo’s dismissal left Switzerland with 10 players, but Murat Yakin’s side refused to fold. It crowded the penalty area, blocked shooting lanes, and pushed the match toward penalties.
Álvarez ended that threat with one clean swing of his right foot. Lautaro Martínez later added a third goal in stoppage time. His finish turned a narrow escape into a 3-1 scoreline that overstated Argentina’s control.
Messi’s Corner Gives Argentina an Early Lead
Switzerland began with confidence and controlled the ball through the opening minutes. Argentina did not need long to punish its first defensive lapse.
Lionel Messi won a corner through quick footwork near the right side. From the resulting set piece, he curled a precise delivery toward the front post. Mac Allister arrived first and flicked a header across Gregor Kobel into the far corner in the 10th minute.
It was the first time Switzerland had trailed in the tournament.
The goal changed the noise inside the stadium. Argentina’s supporters rose together, and the champions appeared ready to settle into a familiar rhythm.
Switzerland refused to retreat. Granit Xhaka kept demanding the ball in midfield, while Embolo tested Argentina with direct runs behind the defense. Emiliano Martínez had to race from his goal to deny Embolo after a through ball in the 30th minute.
That chance offered a warning. Argentina held the lead, but the Swiss had found a route into the match. Their pressure increased after halftime, forcing Martínez into several sharp saves and pushing Argentina deeper than Lionel Scaloni would have wanted.
Ndoye Equalizes Before VAR Changes the Match
The equalizer arrived in the 67th minute after Switzerland worked the ball down the left. Ricardo Rodríguez exchanged passes with Ndoye and slipped him into the penalty area. Ndoye stayed composed, opened his body, and drove a right footed finish through Martínez’s legs.
Swiss players sprinted toward the corner. Their small pocket of supporters erupted, while the larger Argentina crowd suddenly sounded uneasy. This was no longer a match the champions controlled. Switzerland had seized the rhythm and looked capable of taking the lead.
That momentum disappeared five minutes later.
The referee initially showed Leandro Paredes a yellow card after Embolo went down near him. VAR intervened because the officials appeared to have punished the wrong player.
Video showed Embolo falling before Paredes made contact. After reviewing the incident, the referee rescinded Paredes’s booking and instead cautioned Embolo for simulation.
Since the Swiss forward had already received a yellow card, the second booking produced a red. Embolo left in tears, and Switzerland suddenly had to protect a 1-1 draw with 10 players.
Switzerland Digs In as Argentina Runs Out of Ideas
The red card changed the shape of the match, though not as quickly as Argentina expected. Switzerland dropped into a compact block and protected the center of the penalty area. Xhaka directed traffic, Kobel stayed alert, and every clearance drew another roar from the Swiss bench.
Argentina pushed forward without enough speed. Messi kept drifting inside, only to meet a crowd of red shirts. Mac Allister sent a header wide in the 89th minute. Messi then flashed a fierce effort just outside the post during stoppage time.
Switzerland dragged the contest into extra time by absorbing wave after wave of pressure. Its players were tiring, but the defensive spacing remained disciplined. Argentina moved the ball from side to side and waited for a gap that never seemed to appear.
Scaloni made one final attacking move in the 110th minute. He sent substitute José Manuel López on for Paredes, adding a fresh runner near the Swiss penalty area.
Less than two minutes later, López had the assist.
Álvarez Finds the Corner and Releases the Pressure
López collected possession and found Álvarez near the left edge of the box. The forward took a few touches onto his right foot, lifted his head, and opened his body.
Kobel shifted across his line, expecting the shot. It did not matter.
Álvarez wrapped his foot around the ball and sent it curling toward the top right corner. Kobel stretched at full length, but the shot kept bending away from his fingertips before snapping into the net.
For a brief second, Álvarez stood with his arms spread. Then his teammates swallowed him in a sprinting pile as the Argentina end erupted. Relief replaced the tension that had followed every blocked cross and wasted opening.
“The whole match was hard, and we would have loved to have the win earlier,” Julián Álvarez said.
His words captured the frustration that had built throughout the night. Argentina had controlled long stretches, but Switzerland forced the champions to fight for every opening.
It was Álvarez’s first goal of the tournament. Argentina cared only that it arrived before penalties. The finish rewarded Scaloni’s late substitution and rescued an attack that had looked short of answers.
Switzerland still pushed forward and forced Martínez into a jumping save in the 116th minute. Its final gamble then left space at the other end.
Thiago Almada broke through and tested Kobel. The goalkeeper saved his shot, but Lautaro Martínez followed the rebound and finished into the empty net during stoppage time.
That late goal flattered Argentina, covering a difficult night with a 3-1 scoreline. Switzerland had pushed the champions to the edge, even after losing Embolo. Argentina survived because one elite finish finally broke a defense that had bent without collapsing.
Messi’s scoring run covering nine World Cup matches ended, though his corner created the opening goal. Argentina’s unbeaten World Cup sequence now stands at 12 matches. England comes next in Atlanta, and Scaloni knows his side must play with greater control.
For one night, however, Álvarez supplied exactly what Argentina needed. One look, one curling shot, and one place in the semifinals.
Read Also: Surviving Cape Verde and Egypt Was Lucky, But Switzerland Requires a New Plan
FAQs
Who scored Argentina’s winning goal against Switzerland?
Julián Álvarez scored in the 112th minute. His curling finish gave Argentina a 2-1 lead in extra time.
What was the final score between Argentina and Switzerland?
Argentina won 3-1 after extra time. Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez scored for Argentina.
Why was Breel Embolo sent off?
VAR showed Embolo falling before contact with Leandro Paredes. The referee booked Embolo for simulation, and his second yellow card led to a red.
Did Lionel Messi score against Switzerland?
No. Messi’s nine-match World Cup scoring streak ended, but his corner created Mac Allister’s opening goal.
Who will Argentina play in the World Cup semifinal?
Argentina will face England in Atlanta. Both teams advanced through their quarterfinals after extra time.
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