Lautaro Martínez scored in extra time as Argentina advanced to the World Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland on Saturday in Kansas City, keeping alive the defending champions’ bid to win back-to-back titles.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for Argentina in the 10th minute with a header from a Lionel Messi corner. Switzerland equalized through Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute, forcing the match into extra time after neither side could find a winner in regular play.
The extra-time period proved decisive. Julián Álvarez struck in the 112th minute with a stunning long-range effort to restore Argentina’s lead, then Martínez sealed the victory nine minutes later with a composed finish following a counter-attack.
Switzerland’s task became even harder when Breel Embolo was sent off in the 72nd minute after a Video Assistant Referee review for a tackle on Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes. Playing with 10 men for the final 24 minutes of regular time, the Swiss nonetheless fought back to equalize before ultimately succumbing in extra time.
Argentina survived their third consecutive dramatic knockout match of the tournament, having also come from behind to beat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16. The defending champions will now face England, who defeated Norway 2-1 after extra time, on Wednesday in Atlanta for a place in the World Cup final.
Sources
- Reuters — Match result, goals, and semi-final matchup details
- Al Jazeera — Live coverage and goal scoring updates
- Yahoo Sports — Extra-time goals and Switzerland’s red card
- NPR — Goal times and match progression
- USA Today — Dan Ndoye equalizer details
