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\nReigning champions Argentina will face the aspiring champions Spain for the FIFA World Cup title on Sunday, July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium).<\/p>\n
\nReigning champions Argentina will face the aspiring champions Spain for the FIFA World Cup title on Sunday, July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium).<\/p>\n
\t<\/p>\n \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> <\/a> \t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n NEW YORK (TIP): On Sunday, July 19, when the fight for world soccer supremacy takes place at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), reigning champions Argentina, looking for their seventh World Cup title, will take on the European champions and strong aspirants for the World Cup title, Spain.<\/p>\n Argentina staged yet another magnificent comeback to defeat England 2-1; Spain got the better of pre-tournament favorites France in the other semifinal.<\/p>\n FIFA World Cup 2026: World Champions set up summit clash with European champions<\/p>\n In yet another marvelous comeback defending champions Argentina overcame a 0-1 deficit to score twice in the last five minutes to beat England 2-1 to set up a summit clash with the European champions Spain.<\/p>\n Led by mercurial Lionel Messi, holders Argentina came back strongly late in the second half to prevent an all-European final. Until 85th minute, it looked like the match was going England\u2019s way before Argentina fought back from the brink to beat England with stunning goals masterminded by Lionel Messi to advance to its seventh final in the World Cup.<\/p>\n At 39 years and 21 days, Messi became the oldest outfield player to make an appearance in a World Cup semi-final beating previous record holders Fritz Walter and Gunnar Gren who were both 37 years and 236 days old when playing against each other for West Germany and Sweden respectively in 1958.<\/p>\n With his 121st appearance for England, Harry Kane became the outfield player with the most international outings for the Three Lions.<\/p>\n Mart\u00ednez has now scored after coming on as a substitute in the quarterfinals and semi-finals.<\/p>\n Lionel Messi was declared man of the match.<\/p>\n Interestingly, there were seven players aged 32+ among the 22 starters, representing the most in a World Cup semi-final. The previous high was six in 2006 when France played Portugal.<\/p>\n Argentina will take on Spain in the coming Sunday\u2019s FIFA World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium.<\/p>\n Enzo Fernandez and Lisandro Martinez, with the help of Lionel Messi assists, struck the late goals in a dramatic turnaround in Atlanta just as England were closing in on their first final in 60 years, following Anthony Gordon\u2019s 55th-minute goal.<\/p>\n Instead, La Albiceleste repeated its ability to stage a late second half comeback to upstage its opponents. Argentina did it against Egypt to beat the Africans 3-2 after trailing 0-2. And today, after conceding the lead in the 55th minute, the South Americans reiterated their strong comeback ability by scoring twice late in the second half, another gallant fightback to prove their credentials as the world champions.<\/p>\n With this splendid win, Argentina can now look forward to its seventh World Cup summit clash and stand a step away from retaining its world crown.<\/p>\n Lionel Messi, like Kylian Mbappe of France, remains in the hunt for the golden boot award with his individual goals standing unchanged at eight. Mbappe, like Messi, also could not score in semifinals, and shares the top spot with Messi with eight goals.<\/p>\n While Lionel Messi has a chance to take his tally further in the final against Spain on Sunday, Mbappe, too, will be in the running when he takes the field against England in the match for the third place.<\/p>\n The match between Argentina and England was long awaited as the two have not played each other for a long time. This eagerly awaited revival of one of international football\u2019s great rivalries ended with a repeat of the scoreline in the teams\u2019 most famous encounter in Mexico City 40 years ago.<\/p>\n Both the teams started cautiously, refusing to take risks or attempting an early lead. The first exciting moment came only after 30 minutes of cagey and intensely contested game. and it was only in the 33rd minute that either of the sides produced an attempt on goal. That was when John Stones nodded wide from a Declan Rice free-kick at the far post. At the other end, Fernandez flashed a fierce shot over the crosspiece.<\/p>\n To break the deadlock, both the teams had to produce something extra, something that could help them get past their opponents\u2019 defense and score. Neither Argentina nor England found moments of inspiration when it was most needed.<\/p>\n Julian Alvarez, hero of Argentina\u2019s previous win, sought to conjure one such moment soon after the restart, getting beyond Djed Spence following a long ball forward and drawing a smart save from Jordan Pickford at his near post.<\/p>\n England, however, had packed a surprise up its sleeve. Ten minutes into the second half, when England made substitutions. Morgan Rogers, one of three players inducted in the England\u2019s starting XI, delivered a terrific low cross from the right. Gordon, back post, got in front of Nahuel Molina to steer an excellent controlled finish into the corner of Emiliano Martinez\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n Another of the starters reinstated by Thomas Tuchel, Spence made a brilliant goal saving tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone. As Argentina started retaliating with pressure moves, close calls continued as England sat increasingly deep.<\/p>\n Argentina\u2019s pressure started mounting up. Substitute Nico Gonzalez saw his header foiled by a fine Pickford save, while Alexis Mac Allister headed against the post.<\/p>\n Eventually, the pressure told, following a corner routine Messi squared the ball to Fernandez and he unleashed a magnificent shot from outside the box that flew past Pickford to his right.<\/p>\n Then, in added time, Mac Allister\u2019s shot struck a post, but Messi recycled the danger, delivering a right-foot cross that substitute Martinez buried at the far post.<\/p>\n \u201cNo words, no words. A joy for our country, for our people. The other day, I said this group never stops surprising me. And I\u2019ll tell you the truth, we\u2019re going to try to win, we\u2019re going to leave everything out there, but after this it\u2019s very difficult to get people to understand what these players are showing. It\u2019s incredible. We are unique, truly, and it\u2019s not arrogance, it\u2019s from the heart. We are unique. These people today carried us to win the match, so I\u2019m grateful,\u201d Lionel Scaloni, Argentina coach, said in his post-match conference.<\/p>\n \u201cI dreamed it [the goal], I swear. I told Alexis [Mac Allister] that I was going to score. I told him. I told Facu Medina on the bench that I was going to come on and I was going to win it. And it fell to me. Enzo scored a great goal too, and now that I\u2019m calmer, I can tell you this team keeps showing what it\u2019s made of. [England] got tired. They pressed for 60 minutes. After that they had nothing left \u2026 then they dropped back, and that gave us more calm when it came to moving the ball. We made the pitch wide, and, in the end, we got the two goals, and after three and a half years, we\u2019re back playing a World Cup final,\u201d commented Lautaro Martinez, Argentina matchwinner.<\/p>\n England captain, Harry Kane, disappointed as he was, said:\u201dI\u2019m gutted for the team, the staff, the fans. We played a good game for the majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try to hold on, which at this level is not enough. We worked so hard to be here. The lads have given every bit of blood, sweat, and tears. To fall short like we did is just gutting.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the first half and the start of the second half, we pressed them well. We put them under loads of pressure high up the pitch. That allowed us to win balls and control the game. After the [England] goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us just not being able to match them man for man, it was just wave after wave [of Argentina attacks]. Lads were putting blocks in but in the end it wasn\u2019t enough. We had a lot of good moments in this tournament. A lot of good games, another semi-final. We talk about knocking on the door. We\u2019re close, we just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n (Prabhjot Singh is a Torontobased senior journalist who writes on Sports, politics and community. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)<\/p>\n \t<\/p>\n \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> \t<\/a> <\/a> \t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n \t
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By Prabhjot Singh<\/p>\n
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