They did it the hard way. Again. Argentina led. Switzerland hit back. Then came the red card, the tension of extra time, and ultimately, a Julián Álvarez curler that silenced every Swiss believer inside the Kansas City Stadium. The defending champions are through to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ — battered, brilliant, and still standing.
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Mac Allister’s Header Opens the Scoring
Argentina controlled the early exchanges without ever looking threatening — until the 10th minute, when a corner changed everything. Messi, standing over it with that familiar, deceptive calm, whipped the ball precisely to the near post. Alexis Mac Allister read it perfectly. His looping header found the far corner past Gregor Kobel, and Argentina had their lead.
Granit Xhaka tried to impose himself in midfield after that, looking to drag Switzerland back into the contest. Argentina’s low block held. This was a team that knew exactly how to protect a lead — they had done it dozens of times before. Breel Embolo picked up a yellow card for a challenge in the 43rd minute, a booking that would return to haunt him.
Ndoye Brings Switzerland Level — and Then the Red Card
The second half was a different match. Switzerland came out transformed. More direct, more urgent, pressing higher. Emi Martínez produced a crucial save in the 58th minute, spreading himself brilliantly to deny a fierce low shot from Dan Ndoye. The danger had been flagged. Argentina didn’t heed the warning.
67th minute. Ricardo Rodríguez found the pocket behind Argentina’s defensive line and slipped an inch-perfect pass through. Ndoye — the same man Martínez had stopped nine minutes earlier — got there first and slid the ball beneath the keeper’s legs. 1–1.
In the 72nd minute, the referee initially issued a yellow card to Leandro Paredes after believing he had fouled Embolo. However, a historic VAR review under the tournament’s new “mistaken identity” protocol revealed that Embolo had actually simulated the fall. As a result, Paredes’ yellow card was rescinded, and Embolo was booked for a second time in this match. He was sent off. Switzerland, who had just equalised and gained momentum, were down to ten men. A night that had felt like it might belong to them suddenly shifted.
Argentina made changes to exploit the numerical advantage. Nicolás González came on for Tagliafico in the 77th minute to add width. Lautaro Martínez and Gonzalo Montiel entered in the 84th, bringing fresh legs and directness. Switzerland threw on three players simultaneously — Widmer, Amdouni, and Muheim — needing every ounce of energy they had left. The 90 minutes ended 1–1. Extra time.
Álvarez Breaks the Deadlock, Lautaro Ends It
Messi lined up a free-kick from a dangerous position outside the box in the 104th minute, the kind of set piece that has ended World Cups before. He struck it cleanly. The Swiss wall ate it. The tension only grew.
The moment that decided the evening came in the 112th minute. A pass from López found Julián Álvarez outside the box. He ran for a few steps to find a better angle and then an unstoppable, curling right-footed strike into the top far corner. Kobel dived but could not reach it. No goalkeeper in the world was saving that. It was perfect. Argentina 2–1 Switzerland. The sound that erupted inside the Kansas City Stadium could have been heard in Buenos Aires.
Switzerland had nothing left. Rubén Vargas replaced Remo Freuler in the 114th minute to add some attacking width into the mix, but it was too late. Argentina were in complete control now.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Argentina counterattacked. Almada drove forward and tested Kobel. The save was made. Lautaro Martínez, alert, sharp and in position, turned in the rebound. 3–1.
Argentina advances to the semi-finals. Switzerland’s tournament ends with heads held high — they pushed the defending champions to extra time with ten men, scored against them, and played with a spirit that earned every inch of respect. But tonight belonged to Álvarez’s moment of brilliance. It is a moment that will be admired for decades.
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