Argentina Edge Past Switzerland in Extra-Time Thriller to Secure Semifinal Berth
Argentina will now face England in a highly anticipated semifinal clash
DOHA: Argentina booked their place in the World Cup semifinals after a grueling, high-octane 3-1 victory over a resilient 10-man Switzerland in the quarterfinals. With the scores locked at 1-1 after regulation time, extra-time strikes from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez broke Swiss hearts and sealed a memorable win for the Albiceleste. Argentina will now face England in a highly anticipated semifinal clash.
Argentina asserted their dominance early in the match, breaking the deadlock in just the 10th minute. Talismanic captain Lionel Messi delivered a pinpoint corner kick into the box, which was met by a brilliantly timed header from Alexis Mac Allister, sending the Argentine fans into raptures.
As the first half drew to a close, tensions flared. In the 43rd minute, Switzerland’s Breel Embolo was shown a yellow card for a rough challenge on Leandro Paredes. The forward’s fortunes worsened in the second half when the referee booked him a second time for simulation (diving), resulting in a red card that left the Swiss side down to 10 men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Switzerland refused to back down and fought their way back into the contest. In the 67th minute, Ricardo Rodriguez delivered a precise pass into the penalty box, finding Dan Ndoye. Ndoye clinical struck the ball into the bottom-right corner, leaving Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with no chance and leveling the score at 1-1.
Both teams pushed desperately for a late winner, but a combination of resolute defending and missed chances meant the match remained deadlocked at the end of 90 minutes.
The breakthrough finally came in the second half of extra time. In the 112th minute, Julian Alvarez capitalised on a clinical opportunity to restore Argentina’s lead. With the Swiss defense caught off guard, Lautaro Martinez fired home moments later to put the game completely out of reach, shattering Switzerland's semifinal dreams and guaranteeing Argentina's progression to the final four.
