Argentina survived another tense World Cup night after beating Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in Kansas City to reach the semi-finals.
The scoreline looked comfortable in the end, but it did not tell the full story. Switzerland pushed the defending champions deep into extra time, played with discipline for long spells and had strong reason to feel frustrated after a controversial second-half red card changed the rhythm of the match.
Julian Alvarez, quiet for much of the tournament, delivered the decisive moment in the 112th minute. Cutting inside from the left, the striker struck a superb right-footed effort into the top corner, leaving Gregor Kobel with no chance.
It was his first goal of this World Cup and the kind of finish Argentina badly needed on a night when Lionel Messi was contained for long periods.
Argentina had started sharply enough, taking the lead in the 10th minute from a set-piece. Messi delivered the corner, and Alexis Mac Allister rose between Swiss defenders to power a header past Kobel.
Switzerland had controlled much of the early possession, but Argentina punished them with the efficiency of a champion side. After the opener, Lionel Scaloni’s team slowed the pace, protected their shape and allowed Switzerland to have the ball in safer areas.
The Swiss did not panic. Murat Yakin’s side grew into the second half and began asking more serious questions of Argentina’s defence.
Their equaliser arrived in the 66th minute after a quick and well-worked move. Dan Ndoye started the attack, exchanged passes with Ricardo Rodriguez and then finished the left-back’s cross to make it 1-1.
At that stage, the momentum was with Switzerland. Argentina looked uncomfortable, and Emiliano Martinez had already been forced into important saves as the Swiss pushed higher.
Then came the moment that shifted the contest. Leandro Paredes was initially shown a yellow card for a challenge on Breel Embolo, but after a VAR review, the decision was changed. Paredes’ booking was withdrawn, and Embolo was instead shown a second yellow card for simulation.
The decision left Switzerland down to 10 men and sparked clear anger from their players and bench. It also changed their approach. From then on, the Swiss dropped deeper, protected the penalty area and tried to carry the match towards penalties.
Argentina pushed but struggled to find the final pass. Messi went close with a curling effort late in normal time, while Thiago Almada almost found the breakthrough in extra time with a fierce strike from outside the box.
Switzerland defended bravely, but Alvarez finally broke their resistance. His goal was a reminder of the quality that made him so important to Argentina in 2022, and it rewarded Scaloni’s decision to keep faith with him.
With Switzerland forced to chase the game, Argentina added a third on the counter. Almada’s effort was not cleanly struck, but the rebound fell to Lautaro Martinez, who finished to seal the win.
Messi did not score for the first time at this tournament, ending his run of goals in nine straight World Cup matches. Still, he contributed the assist for Mac Allister’s opener and remained central to Argentina’s attacking rhythm.
For Switzerland, the defeat was painful. They had matched Argentina for long periods and were still alive until Alvarez’s late strike. After losing on penalties in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, this was another harsh ending for a team that has become difficult to beat on the biggest stage.
Argentina move on, but not without questions. They have now survived several difficult knockout matches, relying on late goals, individual quality and emotional resilience.
Their next test is England in Atlanta on Wednesday. It is a fixture rich in history, and after another dramatic escape, Argentina will know they must be sharper if they are to return to the World Cup final.
