Argentina booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after overcoming a resilient Switzerland side 3-1 after extra time in a gripping quarter-final contest at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
The reigning world champions were pushed to their limits by the Swiss, who battled courageously for nearly an hour with 10 men before late strikes from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez sealed Argentina’s passage into the last four, where they will meet England.
Argentina made the brighter start and took the lead after just 10 minutes when Alexis Mac Allister powered home a header to reward his side’s early dominance.
Switzerland refused to be overwhelmed and gradually found their rhythm, drawing level in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye, who capitalised on a defensive lapse to spark hopes of a famous upset.
The match took a dramatic turn five minutes later when Breel Embolo was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for simulation following a VAR review. The dismissal left Switzerland with 10 players and appeared to hand Argentina a significant advantage.
Despite being a man down, the Swiss produced a determined defensive display, frustrating Lionel Scaloni’s side with disciplined defending and tireless work rate. Their resilience forced Argentina to extra time as they held firm against relentless pressure throughout the remainder of normal time.
However, the numerical advantage eventually told in the closing stages of extra time.
Julián Álvarez restored Argentina’s lead in the 112th minute with a clinical finish after sustained pressure around the Swiss penalty area.
With Switzerland committing players forward in search of another equaliser, Lautaro Martínez put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time of extra time, scoring in the 120th minute to complete a 3-1 victory for La Albiceleste.
Although Argentina advanced, Switzerland earned widespread praise for their spirited performance. Even after Embolo’s dismissal, they defended with remarkable courage and organisation, taking one of the tournament favourites to extra time before finally succumbing.
The victory keeps Argentina’s hopes of retaining the World Cup alive and sets up a blockbuster semi-final showdown against England, who earlier came from behind to defeat Norway 2-1 after extra time through a Jude Bellingham brace.
With two football heavyweights now set to collide for a place in the semi final, the Argentina-England encounter promises to be one of the standout matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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