Argentina advances to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup after a tough match against Switzerland.
The Argentine national team, the defending champion, reached the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought victory over Switzerland, winning 3-1 after extra time, following a 1-1 draw at the end of regular time, in a match held on Saturday in Kansas City, USA.
The Argentine team will face England in the semifinals, in a match scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for Argentina with a header from a corner taken by captain Lionel Messi in the tenth minute, before Dan Ndoye equalized for Switzerland in the 67th minute.
In the second half of extra time, Julián Álvarez restored the lead for his team in the 112th minute, and then substitute Lautaro Martínez sealed the victory by scoring the third goal in the first minute of stoppage time in the second half of extra time.
The Swiss team played with ten men from the 72nd minute after their striker Breel Embolo was sent off for receiving a second yellow card for simulation, following a review by the video assistant referee.
Portuguese referee João Pinheiro initially awarded a foul in favor of Embolo, before reversing his decision and also canceling a yellow card he had shown to Argentine Leandro Paredes.
Argentina continued its historical dominance over Switzerland, as it has not suffered any losses against them in eight encounters, achieving four victories and four draws, and reached the semifinals for the third time in the last four World Cup appearances.
The match also witnessed a new record for Lionel Messi, as he raised his tally to ten assists in World Cup history, becoming the player with the most assists in the tournament's history.