Argentina pulled off a third straight World Cup escape in a tense 3-1 quarter-final victory in extra-time against Switzerland that was packed with drama in Kansas City.
After going to extra-time against Cabo Verde and coming from two goals down against Egypt, extra-time goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez ensured the defending champions overcame a ten-man Switzerland.
UFC 329: McGregor v Holloway 2 | SUN 12 JULY 11AM AEST | Conor McGregor is back. The Irish superstar takes on the always dangerous Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
It means that Lionel Messi’s men will meet England in the final four on Thursday morning after the Three Lions defeated Norway 2-1 in extra time earlier on Sunday morning.
With France and Spain facing off in Wednesday morning’s semi-final, for the first time the top four nation’s in FIFA’s world rankings – who were given seeded draws – have reached the semi-finals.
A penalty shootout looked like it might be on the cards until Alvarez’s wonder strike that curled into the top corner from outside the box.
It was the Barcelona-bound forward’s first goal of the tournament and it came at the perfect moment in the 112th minute.
Alvarez belter dooms 10 man Switzerland | 00:24
Martinez then got himself a goal into an open net on the counter attack in the 121st minute to kill off the game in the dying moments.
“We had to suffer a lot but we knew they were a physical team,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said post-match.
“We had many difficulties. Sometimes we couldn’t find the solutions, but today we had luck on our side because one of their players was sent off.”
The two teams headed to extra time after a wild 90 minutes that included a contentious send off and Lionel Messi engaging in a heated clash with referee Joao Pinheiro.
Five minutes after Dan Ndoye equalised in the quarter-final in Kansas City, the Swiss were reduced to ten when Breel Embolo was given a second yellow card as VAR intervened in a case of mistaken identity.
A yellow card was shown to Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for a foul on Embolo, but after watching the replay Pinheiro deemed that it was a case of simulation, removed Paredes’ booking and gave Embolo his marching orders.
The Swiss forward was in tears as he was surrounded by teammates on his way to the dressing room, becoming the first player to receive a second yellow for simulation at a World Cup since Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan in 2006.
Switzerland’s Embolo sent off for dive | 00:22
The incident sparked widespread backlash of VAR on social media, but former Manchester City striker Bradley Wright-Phillips had no sympathy on ITV.
“I feel for Embolo’s team-mates, I don’t feel for him. He has cost his team maybe getting through to the semi-finals,” he said.
In the first half, Argentina scored their earliest goal of this World Cup so far with Alexis Mac Allister giving the defending champions a dream start.
The Liverpool midfielder scored his first goal of the tournament in the 10th minute as he flicked a Messi corner into the back of the net with a glancing header.
As a result Messi took his all-time World Cup assist tally to ten, but he was unable to score to edge ahead of French star Kylian Mbappe in the golden boot race – they both have eight goals this tournament.
It was not the only time Messi was in the spotlight in the first half as the Argentine legend engaged in a heated confrontation with the Portuguese referee.
ESPN Argentina reported that Messi told Pinheiro: “Talk to me properly. Do not disrespect me, I talk to you respectfully.”
READ MORE
FIFA doubles down on ‘bizarre’ tech call as fresh World Cup controversy erupts
World Cup in shock as star dead at 25 just weeks after playing in tournament
Argentina are now unbeaten in their past 12 World Cup matches as they look to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to be crowned back-to-back world champions.
Their semi-final meeting with England will be the first time the rivals have met at a World Cup since 2002 when they were in the same group.
England won 1-0 in their group stage clash as Argentina finished third and failed to advance to the knockouts.
But Argentina famously eliminated England from the 1998 and 1986 World Cups when David Beckham was sent off and Diego Maradona scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal.
The latest chapter will be the first time in his 21-year international career that Messi will play against England.
The two nations last met in a friendly in Switzerland in 2005.
Follow all the action in our live blog below. Can’t see it? Click here