World Cup 2026: Argentina beats Switzerland in extra time, secures semifinal spot

Argentina opened the scoring in the 10th minute through a header from Alexis Mac Allister following a corner kick by Lionel Messi. Switzerland played with discipline and equalized in the 67th minute via Dan Ndoye, sending the match into a deadlock. The turning point arrived when forward Breel Embolo received a red card, leaving Switzerland with ten men for most of the remaining time. Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, Julián Álvarez netted the decisive goal in the 112th minute before Lautaro Martínez sealed the 3-1 win in stoppage time of the second extra period.

Clearly, this was another match showcasing Argentina's resilience in the knockout stages. After hard-fought wins over Cape Verde and Egypt, Lionel Scaloni's side once again overcame the challenge through grit and the ability to make a difference at crucial moments. The press noted that Argentina continues to pursue its title defense despite facing one difficult game after another.

Meanwhile, Switzerland caused plenty of trouble for the defending champions with their compact defense and effective counterattacks. However, Embolo's red card left them a man down, preventing the European side from maintaining their shape against Argentina's mounting pressure in extra time. Julián Álvarez proved to be the difference-maker with the go-ahead goal, while Emiliano Martínez continued to produce several crucial saves, and Messi—though without a goal—left his mark with an assist and numerous passes that created chances.

Bavarian Football Works named Julián Álvarez as the man of the match and praised Mac Allister's performance both in scoring and in midfield control. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez also earned plaudits for his vital saves, while Messi continued to play a central role in Argentina's game despite his consecutive scoring streak coming to an end.

With this victory, Argentina advances to the semifinals and will face England in a highly anticipated clash between two top contenders for the 2026 World Cup title.