Julian Alvarez sent defending champion Argentina into the World Cup semifinals with a long-range strike in the 112th minute against Switzerland. Another goal by Lautaro Martinez with seconds left in extra time only served to make the 3-1 victory look a whole lot easier than it was Saturday night, according to NPR. Alexis Mac Allister also scored off a corner kick from Lionel Messi, helping La Albiceleste gut out another down-to-the-wire thriller and advance to play England on Wednesday in Atlanta. The Three Lions beat Norway 2-1 earlier in the day.

Messi’s nine-game World Cup scoring streak ended, but his pursuit of a second World Cup title continues, while the game swung in the second half on a call sure to rile up critics who believe Argentina has been favored in this tournament. The Swiss had just tied the game on Dan Ndoye’s goal in the 67th minute when Leandro Paredes was shown a yellow card for a tackle on Breel Embolo. But video showed the Swiss player falling before the Argentina midfielder made contact with him, and since Embolo received a yellow card earlier in the match, he was sent off and Switzerland left to defend with 10 players. It was the second time a yellow card has been overturned using the “mistaken identity” protocol at the World Cup, and the rule allows the video assistant referee to intervene when an incorrect player is shown a yellow or red card.

Argentina Advances to Semifinals

Argentinien stands as the only non-European nation in the semifinals of this World Cup, according to fussballdaten.de, though There, the world champion will face England on the following Wednesday. The dream of winning the World Cup title for a second time since 1962 is still alive. The Swiss. On the other hand. Must return home after their first quarterfinal appearance since 1954—the Nati could not win their third World Cup match against Argentina.

At the final whistle, it was official: Argentina defeated the brave, long-against-the-odds Swiss 3-1, and the Nati had long held out and dreamed of a surprise victory. However, the “Albiceleste” should have ended the game in 90 minutes — the team led by World Cup top scorer Lionel Messi dominated much of the match and was on the verge of delivering a decisive performance. In extra time, the South Americans capped the match—just as they did 12 years ago—and avoided a penalty shootout.

Switzerland Holds on in Early Stages

In the early stages, the match was tightly contested. Switzerland put up a strong fight, according to Vietnam.vn. In the 65th minute, Xhaka and Zakaria had two dangerous chances, but Emiliano Martinez saved well. At the 56-minute mark, Messi delivered a corner that Enzo met with a header, but the ball went high. In the 53rd minute, Alvarez made a determined run and took a shot, but the ball went wide. By the 50th minute, Messi made a neat pass to Molina, but the right-back mishit the shot. In the 45th minute, Argentina took the lead and began to dominate the game with unusual moves. Switzerland struggled to find a way to recover the match.

Embolo showed signs of frustration with an aggressive tackle in the 44th minute. The play reflected the difficulty and some level of frustration among the Swiss players. In the 39th minute, Swiss players were constantly double-teamed, making it difficult for the physically strong Swiss side to handle the pressure. In the 32nd minute, Switzerland had a rare moment of promise, but Embolo failed to outpace the goalkeeper. By the 27th minute, Argentina had effectively controlled the midfield, holding the ball calmly while being willing to commit to the ground when necessary to slow the pace.

Extra Time Drama

The match remained tense in extra time. In the 90th minute, Alvarez volleyed from a difficult position, but the Swiss goalkeeper was still better, according to Vietnam.vn. In the 90th minute, Messi dribbled past a series of red shirts and curled a right-footed shot that missed the post by inches. In the 89th minute, Nico made a play to set up MacAllister for a header, but the touch was inaccurate. In the 84th minute, Messi tried to loft the ball over the keeper, but the ball was blocked by the goalkeeper, and the referee called offside on the play.

After the 72nd-minute red card for Embolo, Argentina pressed forward but failed to create a decisive moment. The Swiss were down to 10 men, and Argentina had more control, but the game remained tense until Alvarez’s winning goal. Argentina’s victory was described as deserved, given the Swiss’ earlier missed opportunities and the late red card.

Lionel Messi was named the player of the match by fussballdaten.de. Argentina now faces England in the semifinals, with the winner of that match advancing to the final. The Swiss, though proud of their run to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, will return home without a victory over Argentina in the World Cup stage.