Defending champion Argentina and England survived tense extra-time battles Saturday to book a blockbuster World Cup semifinal showdown in Atlanta.
Julián Alvarez broke a 1-1 deadlock with a long-range strike in the 112th minute before Lautaro Martínez scored in the dying seconds as Argentina outlasted 10-man Switzerland 3-1 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Earlier, Jude Bellingham struck twice to rally England past Norway 2-1 after extra time in Miami, sending the Three Lions into a semifinal against Lionel Messi and Argentina on Wednesday.
The victories completed a star-studded final four featuring the world’s top four teams in the FIFA rankings — Argentina, Spain, France, and England.
For Argentina, the final score hardly reflected the struggle.
Alexis Mac Allister gave La Albiceleste the lead from a Messi corner before Dan Ndoye equalized for Switzerland in the 67th minute. The Swiss appeared to have seized momentum, but a controversial video review dramatically changed the match.
Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes initially received a yellow card for a challenge on Breel Embolo. After a video review showed Embolo falling before contact occurred, officials overturned the decision and instead booked the Swiss forward for simulation.
Because Embolo had already received a yellow card earlier in the match, the second booking reduced Switzerland to 10 men.
The decision angered the Swiss.
“I just don’t understand how VAR can make that kind of decision,” defender Nico Elvedi said.
Even with a numerical advantage, Argentina struggled to finish off a stubborn Swiss side until Alvarez finally broke through in the 112th minute. Martínez added another goal seconds before the final whistle to seal a victory that proved far more difficult than the scoreline suggested.
“We’re among the best four, so we’re meeting our objectives, and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Alvarez said. “The whole match was hard, and we would have loved to have the win earlier, but we tried to get the win however we could.”
“The opponent was really good, but we fought until the end, and finally the goals came,” he added.
Messi failed to score for the first time in 10 World Cup matches, ending a nine-game scoring streak, but the Argentine captain still made his mark. His corner set up Mac Allister’s opener and kept alive his pursuit of a second consecutive World Cup title.
Argentina extended its unbeaten World Cup run to 12 matches, although Lionel Scaloni’s squad has endured a demanding road through the knockout rounds. The defending champions needed extra time to edge Cape Verde before erasing a 2-0 deficit in the final 11 minutes of regulation to beat Egypt.
Switzerland, playing in its first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954, once again fell short of its first semifinal appearance.
The Swiss entered the match having conceded only three goals in five games and frustrated Argentina for long stretches. After goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made several difficult saves, Ricardo Rodriguez unlocked the Argentine defense with a pass to Ndoye, who buried the equalizer.
But Embolo’s dismissal shifted the balance, and Argentina eventually capitalized.
In Miami, England also had to come from behind before Bellingham delivered another defining performance on the World Cup stage.
Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead in the 36th minute, sweeping a cross-shot off the inside of the far post after Erling Haaland had earlier tested England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Bellingham responded in first-half stoppage time, driving forward and calmly finishing to pull England level. Harry Kane appeared to complete the turnaround moments later, but officials ruled his goal offside.
Norway threatened again after the break. Torbjorn Heggem found the net shortly before the hour mark, only for a video review to disallow the goal because Haaland pushed on Elliot Anderson following a corner.
Kristoffer Ajer later rattled the crossbar as Norway pushed England to the limit and forced the match into extra time.
Then Bellingham struck again.
The Real Madrid midfielder reacted quickest after Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland spilled substitute Morgan Rogers’ powerful shot, knocking home the winner in the 93rd minute and ending Norway’s memorable World Cup campaign.
England will now face defending champion Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
The other semifinal will pit France against Spain, ensuring that, for the first time, the top four teams in the FIFA rankings have all reached the World Cup’s final four. FROM THE WIRES
