Argentina vs Switzerland FIFA World Cup QF Match Result: Julian Alvarez’s long-range strike sends Argentina into last four

Julian Alvarez (AP Photo) Defending champions Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to book their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday.Julian Alvarez broke the deadlock in the 112th minute with a superb strike from distance before Lautaro Martinez added the third goal in the closing moments of extra time.Argentina will now face England in the semi-finals on Wednesday after the Three Lions beat Norway 2-1.

Mac Allister gives Argentina an early lead

Argentina got off to a great start and took the lead in the 10th minute.Lionel Messi took a corner from the left and Alexis Mac Allister found the net to put the defending champions in front.Messi did not score in the match, ending his nine-game World Cup scoring streak, but he still played a key role in Argentina’s victory.

Switzerland is defending against a red card

Switzerland refused to give up and equalized through Dan Ndoya in the 67th minute.However, the game changed dramatically a few minutes later.Leandro Paredes first received a yellow card for the opponent’s defending and Breel Embolo. After a VAR review, the officials ruled that Embolo went down before any contact was made.As Embolo had been booked earlier in the game, he was given a yellow card based on FIFA’s “mistaken identity” protocol. It became his second booking and Switzerland were reduced to 10 men.It was only the second time in World Cup history that the “mistaken identity” rule was used to overturn a yellow card decision.

Argentina must count extra

Despite being outnumbered, Argentina had to wait until extra time to find a breakthrough.In the 112th minute, Julian Alvarez finally came back with a brilliant shot from a distance.As Switzerland pushed for another equaliser, Lautaro Martinez scored deep into extra time to seal a 3-1 victory.

Argentina continue their undefeated streak

Argentina have now extended their unbeaten streak at the FIFA World Cup to 12 matches.The reigning champions had to work hard in the knockout stages, needing extra time to beat Cape Verde before going two goals down against Egypt in the round of 16.Against Switzerland, they once again found a way to win and keep their dream of retaining the World Cup alive.The win also means the top four teams in the FIFA rankings – Argentina, England, France and Spain – all reach the semi-finals.