![\"Messi,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3109.jpg\")
Messi, Lopez and Almada celebrate at full-time. Photograph: Lars Baron\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\nUpdated at\u00a023.49 EDT<\/p>\n
Key events<\/p>\n
That\u2019s it from me tonight. Quite the pair of semi-finals we\u2019ve now got on tap for next week. A reminder that you can find all of the Guardian\u2019s World Cup content right here<\/a>. Thanks for your insight, emails, hydration break recommendations and everything in between!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Nick Ames was at Kansas City Stadium for this match. \u201cDid anyone think Argentina<\/a> would do it the easy way?\u201d he asks. Surely not.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Interesting insight from Mart\u00edn writing in from Argentina:<\/p>\n \u201cAwful match. Weird double yellow (fair, I think, but so stupid that maybe the ref could just let it pass). As an argentinian, I\u2019d prefer another approach. We need to be better. Against England, I\u2019d rather lose playing our game than being this again. We already are champions, we have an identity, let\u2019s not lose it.\u201d<\/p>\n More mailbag thoughts:<\/p>\n \u201cWell, at least if Messi does a Maradona and punches through a goal against England, VAR will overrule it \u2013 maybe. (No guarantees when it\u2019s Argentina.)\u201d Burt<\/p>\n \u201cAs successful as they\u2019ve been in this World Cup, Argentina are unconvincing to me. Cape Verde, Egypt, and now Switzerland<\/a> have pushed them hard, and they\u2019re making heavy weather out of what should be winnable matches. They have a glass jaw, and I don\u2019t see this team getting past England.\u201d Chris<\/p>\n \u201cIt bothers me that VAR has been very inconsistent when applying the rules, seemingly favoring the \u2018bigger\u2019 teams over others. A semi-final of Argentina \u2013 England is a great one in theory, but I fear the worst with this tournaments refereeing track record. I for one will be preparing myself for heartbreak…\u201d Michael H<\/p>\n \u201cWas hoping for a Swiss upset but honestly I don\u2019t think that England should fear Argentina from what we have seen.\u201d Kyle<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The mega World Cup<\/a> has given us a pair of mega-matchups for the semi-finals.<\/p>\n France v Spain on Tuesday in Dallas<\/p>\n England v Argentina<\/a> on Wednesday in Atlanta<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Argentina, meanwhile, live another day. They are unbeaten in a remarkable 12 World Cup games, dating back to the 2022 tournament in Qatar, and their dream of becoming the first back-to-back champion since Brazil in 1962 continues.<\/p>\n Everything said before this match \u2013 that this style of play makes for compelling drama and captivating narratives, but is not without its flaws \u2013 seems still very true after this game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Switzerland will be (rightfully) upset about the way that match finished, but I think many viewers will have been surprised that their 10-man defence didn\u2019t break sooner.<\/p>\n There will undoubtedly be lots of conversation to continue about the Embolo sending-off. It does feel as though this World Cup<\/a> has been played against a backdrop of refereeing and officiating discourse\/questions of discipline. Maybe that\u2019s just the way things will be in the VAR era of football? Maybe it\u2019s all setting up for a massive decision of consequence in a final. We\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Watching Argentina<\/a> games at the 2026 World Cup has felt like that one internet meme from 2016:<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019d like to see Argentina wriggle their way out of THIS jam!\u201d<\/p>\n *Argentina wriggles their way out of the jam easily*<\/p>\n \u201cAh! Well. Nevertheless,\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Extra time, full-time: Argentina 3-1 Switzerland<\/p>\n Argentina are through after extra-time heroics, and for the first time the top four teams in Fifa\u2019s rankings will be in the World Cup semi-finals.<\/p>\n Messi, Lopez and Almada celebrate at full-time. Photograph: Lars Baron\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.49 EDT<\/p>\n How deceiving this 3-1 scoreline will be. Lautaro Martinez started this sequence on the counter and laid the ball off to Thiago Almada, who seemed to get a shot off but had his attempt saved by Gregor Kobel. Martinez was in position to fire the rebound of the save into the empty net.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Argentina 3-1 Switzerland (120+1′ L Martinez)<\/p>\n Martinez seals it on the break!<\/p>\n Lautaro Martinez seals it with the third. Photograph: David Ramos\/Getty Images Photograph: Agust\u00edn Marcarian\/ReutersMartinez celebrates. Photograph: Ryan Pierse\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.47 EDT<\/p>\n 120 min The referee has given four minutes of stoppage time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 119 min Messi gets the ball on the break but his shot is deflected away by a Swiss defender. He wanted that goal, but he\u2019ll have to settle for another corner (which Argentina<\/a> take short and quickly).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 119 min Switzerland win a free-kick but it\u2019s cleared away by Alvarez.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 118 min Peter writes in to mention that \u201cAl-VAR-ez has bailed out Argentina<\/a> yet again\u201d. Clever. The US broadcast is already waxing poetic about the possibility of an England v Argentina semi-final.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 116 min Emi Martinez makes a jumping save of a Swiss shot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 115 min Lopez sees yellow for a scuffle after the goal, and Switzerland<\/a> make another substitution, sending Vargas on to replace Freuler.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Have Argentina<\/a> done it again? They just may have. That\u2019s a wondrous strike by Julian Alvarez to break the deadlock in the 112th minute. He picks up a pass from Jose Manuel Lopez, who had just entered in the 110th minute for Leandro Paredes, takes just a few touches on his right foot at the left edge of the penalty area and fires a curling shot into the top right corner. It\u2019s Alvarez\u2019s first goal of this World Cup.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.35 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Argentina 2-1 Switzerland (Alvarez 112′)<\/p>\n What a strike by Alvarez!<\/p>\n Argentina\u2019s Julian Alvarez curls in the second. Photograph: Amanda Perobelli\/Reuters Photograph: Agust\u00edn Marcarian\/ReutersAlvarez celebrates. Photograph: Ryan Pierse\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.41 EDT<\/p>\n 112 min Messi tries the cut inside once again, and Kobel taps it away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 111 min A long shot by Messi is handled by Kobel. That wasn\u2019t a save, but the Swiss keeper has impressed again in this game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 109 min Messi has tried several times since his near-miss in stoppage time of regulation to cut inside around the top of the box, but he\u2019s running into a wall of red each time he tries.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 108 min A Swiss break by Amdouni is stopped by a pack of Argentina<\/a> defenders.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 107 min Xhaka puts in a strong free-kick that Argentina clears away. That\u2019s much better from Switzerland<\/a> after some sub-par set-piece work earlier this game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 106 min The second half of extra time is under way.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Another change for Argentina: Otamendi is on for Romero, who put in a nice shift. As Ronald wrote in: \u201cCould someone please remind Cristian Romero (and Pedro Porro for that matter) that it\u2019s OK to play this well for Spurs? Thanks!\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Shyam writes in: \u201cSurely after another grueling game, Argentina<\/a>, should they get past the Swiss, will be knackered when they face England and even more so should they face Spain or France in the final?<\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting to compare cricket and football World Cups. In the former, winning close matches leads to a team being battle hardened and likely to prevail in the final. But in football World Cups too many harrowing matches just lead to exhaustion!”<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Extra time, half time: Argentina 1-1 Switzerland<\/p>\n A few days after they played for a penalty shootout against Colombia, the Swiss are doing it again. Argentina had more of the chances in the first 15 minutes of extra time but Switzerland<\/a> are holding firm.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 105+2 min Romero\u2019s header is wide, and the first half of extra time is finished.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 105+1 min Argentina win a corner. The referee has given one minute of stoppage time in this period.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 105+1 min From Sydney, Gervase asks: \u201cIf Switzerland<\/a> hang on until full-time, what are the chances Messi opts out of the penalties? Given his record to date, I think he\u2019s a very doubtful starter.\u201d<\/p>\n You have to think yes, but it is a good reminder that Messi, for all his undisputed greatness, is not the World Cup\u2019s finest penalty taker. He missed against Egypt and is 4-for-8 at the World Cup<\/a> in his career.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.22 EDT<\/p>\n 104 min Given they\u2019ve been playing down a man since the 72nd minute, the Swiss defence is holding up remarkably well.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 103 min The free-kick goes straight into the wall but Argentina<\/a> maintain possession.<\/p>\n Messi\u2019s free-kick hits the wall. Photograph: Carl Recine\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.22 EDT<\/p>\n 102 min Messi collides with Amdouni and draws a free-kick from about 25 yards out.<\/p>\n Zeki Amdouni fouls Messi. Photograph: Christopher Neundorf\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.21 EDT<\/p>\n 100 min Messi aims a shot, a cross, maybe a bit of both, from the right, but it\u2019s handled by Kobel.<\/p>\n