Argentina defeated 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to secure a place in the World Cup semi-finals. Julián Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez scored late in extra time after Switzerland forced the match beyond 90 minutes. Lionel Scaloni's side will now face England on July 15 after the Three Lions defeated Norway in their quarter-final.

Mac Allister gives Argentina an early lead

Argentina started brightly and took the lead in the 10th minute. Alexis Mac Allister met Lionel Messi's dangerous corner with a glancing header that beat goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and found the bottom-right corner.

It was the first time Switzerland had fallen behind during their entire World Cup campaign, including the qualifying stage. Switzerland tried to respond quickly, but Djibril Sow's long-range effort failed to trouble Emiliano Martínez.

Switzerland fight back after the break

Switzerland began the second half with greater urgency. Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye both tested Emiliano Martínez with headed efforts, while Granit Xhaka also forced the Argentina goalkeeper into another save.

The pressure finally paid off in the 67th minute. Ndoye combined well with Ricardo Rodríguez before calmly sliding the ball through Martínez's legs to level the score.

Embolo's red card changes the match

Switzerland's celebrations did not last long. Just five minutes after the equaliser, Breel Embolo received his second yellow card and was sent off. The striker had already been booked before half-time for a foul on Leandro Paredes.

He received his second booking for simulation after going down under another challenge from Paredes. The referee confirmed the decision after a VAR review. The dismissal left Switzerland with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

Argentina finally break through in extra time

Argentina pushed hard for a winner before the end of normal time. Mac Allister headed just wide after good work from Nico González, while Messi curled another effort narrowly past the post. The match eventually went into extra time.

Both teams created few chances before Messi forced Gregor Kobel into a save. The attack continued as Nico González found Jose Manuel Lopez, who laid the ball into the path of Julián Alvarez.

The Atlético Madrid forward curled a superb finish into the net to restore Argentina's lead.

Lautaro Martínez seals victory

Switzerland threw players forward in search of another equaliser. However, the move backfired. Julián Alvarez won possession from Granit Xhaka before Thiago Almada's effort was saved by Kobel. The rebound fell perfectly for Lautaro Martínez, who calmly finished to make it 3-1 and secure Argentina's place in the semi-finals.

Messi shines despite ending scoring streak

Lionel Messi did not score, ending his remarkable run of goals in nine consecutive World Cup matches. However, he still played a key role in Argentina's victory.

His assist for Mac Allister's opener was his 10th World Cup assist, the highest by any player since 1966. Only Diego Maradona comes close with eight assists during that period.

Alvarez delivers again in knockout football

Julián Alvarez once again produced when Argentina needed him most. The goal was his first at this World Cup since scoring twice in the 2022 World Cup semi-final. Four of Alvarez's five World Cup goals have now come in knockout matches, underlining his reputation as a big-game player.

Argentina continue extra-time dominance

Argentina have become specialists in winning World Cup matches that go beyond 90 minutes. This was their 13th World Cup match to reach extra time, more than any other nation. The victory improved their record to 11 wins in those matches.

Switzerland fall short once again

Switzerland fought hard despite playing with 10 men but could not stop Argentina from advancing. The defeat also continued their difficult World Cup history against the South American giants.

The last time the teams met at the World Cup was in the 2014 Round of 16, when Argentina also won after extra time thanks to Ángel Di María's late goal.