Argentina Secures 3-1 Victory over Switzerland
KANSAS CITY, Mo (July 11,2026) — Defending champions Argentina weathered a fierce tactical storm from a resilient Switzerland squad, securing a dramatic 3-1 extra-time victory at Kansas City Stadium on Saturday night to keep their back-to-back title dreams alive.
A spectacular 25-yard curled strike from forward Julián Álvarez in the 112th minute broke a prolonged deadlock before Lautaro Martínez put the match completely out of reach with a clinical breakaway goal deep in extra-time stoppage time. Lionel Scaloni’s side now advances to face historic rivals England in a highly anticipated semifinal blockbuster in Atlanta this Wednesday.
Argentina seized control early in the 10th minute when midfielder Alexis Mac Allister directed a precise header into the net, connecting perfectly with an inswinging corner kick delivered by Lionel Messi. The Swiss back line focused heavily on neutralizing Messi—successfully snapping his historic nine-game World Cup scoring streak—and found a well-deserved equalizer in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye cleanly finished a low cross from Ricardo Rodríguez.
The momentum swung permanently in the 72nd minute following a highly controversial VAR review. Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation after video evidence overturned an initial foul call against Argentina’s Leandro Paredes. The decision drew fierce protests from Swiss coach Murat Yakin and his staff, leaving Switzerland to fight through the remainder of regulation and extra time with only 10 players.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Swiss defense held valiantly until Álvarez delivered his moment of individual brilliance to shatter the parity. The victory marks the eighth consecutive time Switzerland has failed to defeat Argentina in World Cup history.
Box Score
Argentina 3 (Mac Allister 10′, Álvarez 112′, Martínez 120+2′)
Switzerland 1 (Ndoye 67′)
After Extra Time
Discipline: Embolo (SUI) — Red Card 72′
Attendance: 72,114 (Kansas City Stadium)
About The Author
