Argentina advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup after securing a dramatic extra-time victory over Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium, BBC Sport reported. Forward Julian Alvarez settled the highly intense and controversial quarter-final matchup with a brilliant long-range strike in extra time. The reigning world champions will now prepare to face Thomas Tuchel`s England national team in the upcoming semifinal round. Meanwhile, Switzerland suffered immense heartbreak after playing courageously despite being reduced to ten men during the second half under dramatic circumstances.
The match took a decisive turn in the second half when Swiss star striker Breel Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation following an extensive video assistant referee review. Embolo initially appeared to be fouled near the halfway line by Argentine defender Leandro Paredes, who was immediately booked by the referee. However, the official was called to the monitor under the mistaken identity protocol, with the video replays clearly showing that the Swiss attacker had simulated contact. The booking against Paredes was subsequently quashed, and a visibly distressed Embolo was sent off, sparking outrage from the Swiss bench.
Just five minutes prior to the controversial dismissal of Embolo, Switzerland had deservedly equalized after outplaying the world champions for significant periods of the contest. Argentina had initially envisioned a comfortable route to the final four when Alexis Mac Allister flicked home a corner from Lionel Messi at the near post within the opening 10 minutes. However, the South American giants failed to maintain their early momentum, allowing Switzerland to build confidence and dictate the tempo. Nottingham Forest winger Dan Ndoye leveled the score in the 67th minute, cutting in from the left and executing a precise one-two pass with Ricardo Rodriguez before slipping the ball past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Following the red card, Argentina gradually reestablished dominance over the field, eventually capitalizing on their numerical advantage through a moment of absolute brilliance from Alvarez. During the extra-time period, the forward curled an unstoppable 25-yard effort past Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel into the top corner. As Switzerland pushed forward with everyone remaining to find a late equalizer, they were caught vulnerable on a rapid counter-attack. Lautaro Martinez clinically slotted home a third goal in the 120+1 minute to seal the victory and keep Argentina`s hopes of winning consecutive World Cup titles alive.
For the third consecutive match of this tournament, Argentina earned a chaotic victory despite delivering an underwhelming performance relative to their status as clear pre-match favorites. Following Mac Allister`s early opening goal, the Argentine offense went nearly 90 minutes without registering another single shot on target until bending a low save from Kobel deep in injury time. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez remained the busier of the two keepers, making several critical interventions including a close-range stop against Ndoye. The Argentine shot-stopper also comfortably dealt with dangerous aerial headers from Embolo and a powerful long-range strike from Granit Xhaka.
Ultimately, the immense surplus of attacking firepower within the Argentine squad proved decisive, even though captain Lionel Messi failed to find the back of the net for the first time in this campaign. By scoring multiple goals in this encounter, Argentina successfully extended their scoring streak to 15 consecutive World Cup games, netting at least twice in each of their last 11 outings. This achievement established a new historical World Cup record for the longest sequence of scoring multiple goals, surpassing the previous record held by Uruguay between 1930 and 1954. Additionally, Messi expanded his legendary legacy by becoming the first footballer in history to record 10 assists in World Cup history.
Switzerland will be left to contemplate missed opportunities after delivering a performance where they looked superior for substantial stretches of the match. The European side struggled with the highly physical approach of the Argentine defenders, who committed 14 of the game`s 32 total fouls without receiving a yellow card until extra time. What remains unclear is how the tactical outcome might have shifted had key Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi not missed the match due to a severe knee injury. The defeat ensures that Switzerland`s historic quarter-final curse continues, having now lost all six of their appearances at this stage in major international tournaments.
