Julian Alvarez scored a stunning extra-time winner as defending champions Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 in Kansas City to set up a World Cup semi-final against England.
The 26-year-old forward, who had been scoreless in the tournament, unleashed a curling strike from 24 metres in the 112th minute to break the resistance of Gregor Kobel.
Lautaro Martinez then added a late breakaway goal to seal the victory against a Swiss side that had been reduced to 10 men.
Embolo dismissal shifts momentum
The South Americans had initially taken the lead on the hour mark when Alexis Mac Allister headed in a corner for their fifth set-piece goal of the competition.
However, Dan Ndoye equalised shortly after with a precise finish from a tight angle to reward a period of sustained European dominance.
The complexion of the quarter-final drastically changed in the 72nd minute when Breel Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation.
Following the red card, Lionel Scaloni’s men completely controlled proceedings, registering 17 shots to their opponents’ two during the remainder of the contest.
Supporting cast steps up for quiet Messi
Swiss defensive tactics successfully frustrated Lionel Messi, restricting the 39-year-old captain to just three shots and breaking his streak of scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches.
Despite the lack of scoring space, the legendary playmaker still created six chances and provided the crucial assist for the opening goal.
The Albiceleste have now relied on late heroics in three consecutive rounds, following an extra-time win over Cape Verde and a stoppage-time comeback against Egypt.
They will travel to Atlanta on Wednesday for a highly anticipated semi-final clash against England.
Premier League champions Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal to sign highly-rated teenage defender Elijah Upson from north London rivals Tottenham.
Mikel Arteta is looking to reinforce his squad following a historic campaign that ended a two-decade wait for domestic glory.
The Gunners lifted the top-flight trophy last season and also enjoyed an impressive run to the Champions League final.
Attention has now firmly shifted towards retaining their crown and building a dynasty at Emirates Stadium.
Beating European heavyweights to Upson
The 18-year-old prospect is the son of former England international Matthew Upson.
He arrives having made 31 appearances in the Under-18 Premier League for Spurs.
The versatile centre-half, who can also operate at full-back, attracted widespread interest across the continent.
Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco all tabled offers for the young talent.
However, the reigning English champions have seemingly won the race to secure his signature.
Real Madrid star poised to stay
Meanwhile, speculation regarding a spectacular move for Vinicius Junior appears to have cooled.
The Brazilian winger had been tentatively linked with a switch to the English capital amid earlier reports of unrest in Spain.
But the 24-year-old is now expected to hold definitive contract talks with the Real Madrid hierarchy by the end of July.
The forward recently suffered a disappointing World Cup exit after his national side were eliminated by Norway in the last 16.
An extension to his current deal, which expires in June 2027, is widely anticipated following these discussions.
Arsenal’s busy summer continues
Capturing Upson represents another shrewd piece of business for the title holders.
They have already converted Piero Hincapie’s loan from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent arrangement.
The goalkeeping department has also been strengthened with the acquisition of Illan Meslier.
The former Leeds United stopper joined on a free transfer to provide fresh competition between the posts.
Switzerland forward Breel Embolo was sent off in a World Cup quarter-final against Argentina after a landmark VAR mistaken identity review penalised him for simulation.
The 29-year-old was dismissed during a crucial period of the match following a tangle with Leandro Paredes.
Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro initially booked the Argentine midfielder after the Swiss attacker went to ground looking for a foul.
However, the match official was instructed to consult the pitchside monitor to review the incident.
Landmark rule change implemented
Pinheiro subsequently reversed his decision and removed the caution from the Boca Juniors player.
He determined the Rennes forward had initiated the contact and penalised him for diving instead.
Because the striker had already been cautioned for a reckless challenge just before half-time, he was shown a second yellow card.
The referee announced his final verdict directly to the stadium crowd.
After review, there is no foul for number five, number seven, there is clear simulation, final decision, yellow card number seven.Joao Pinheiro
A crucial turning point
The dramatic reversal was made possible by newly introduced IFAB regulations designed to correct cases of mistaken identity.
Fifa chief officiating officer Pierluigi Collina heavily championed the protocol ahead of the tournament.
The dismissal halted significant momentum for the European side.
They had fallen behind early on when Alexis Mac Allister outjumped Manuel Akanji to score inside the opening 10 minutes.
Semi-final implications
Switzerland had just restored parity through a clinical finish from Dan Ndoye.
The Nottingham Forest winger played a neat one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez before powering a shot past Emiliano Martinez.
The red card leaves the Swiss star inconsolable and facing a suspension should his team advance.
Whoever emerges victorious from the tie will face England in the semi-finals, following their extra-time win over Norway.
Bukayo Saka reaffirmed his status as Thomas Tuchel’s primary attacking weapon after transforming England’s hard-fought World Cup quarter-final victory against Norway.
The Arsenal forward had been heavily protected by the medical staff throughout the earlier stages of the tournament in North America.
However, his second-half introduction against the Scandinavians proved to be the decisive tactical shift for the Three Lions.
Struggles on the right flank
Finding consistent productivity from the wide forward positions has been a persistent headache for the England manager throughout this campaign.
Noni Madueke was handed an opportunity to impress against a deep-lying Norwegian defence but struggled to capitalise on his starting berth.
The former PSV Eindhoven youngster diligently hugged the touchline to create space for Nico O’Reilly, yet his final delivery remained frustratingly inconsistent.
Unable to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, the Chelsea attacker was ultimately withdrawn at the interval.
Saka brings elite quality
Arriving onto the pitch for the second half, Saka immediately elevated the team’s attacking fluency with his elite decision-making.
The lightning-fast winger showcased his undeniable class, exploiting the tired legs of the opposition defence to cause major panic in the penalty area.
His dynamic performance perfectly complemented the central dominance of two-goal hero Jude Bellingham and captain Harry Kane.
Atlanta semi-final awaits
This grueling victory pushed Tuchel’s squad to their physical limits ahead of Wednesday’s crucial last-four clash in Atlanta.
With rival nations boasting elite wide players deep into the tournament, England can no longer rely solely on central brilliance to progress.
Having finally peaked at the perfect moment, the clinical Londoner has made himself an undisputed starter as England chase global glory.
England advanced to the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Norway in Miami, though Jude Bellingham’s crucial equaliser was marred by claims the ball struck a camera cable in the build-up.
Replays appeared to show the ball making contact with overhead broadcast equipment before the Three Lions began the move that led to their first-half leveller.
Under the laws of the game, play should be stopped if the ball touches an external object and materially benefits the attacking team.
However, the referee allowed play to continue and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not intervene.
Fifa relies on connected ball technology
World football’s governing body has firmly defended the decision to let the goal stand.
Fifa stated that the sensor housed inside the official match ball provided definitive proof that no external interference occurred.
Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the heartbeat of the ball when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball.
The official explanation offered little comfort to the Scandinavian side, who felt heavily aggrieved by the officiating at a pivotal moment in the quarter-final tie.
Bellingham answers early setback
Thomas Tuchel’s men had initially fallen behind when Andreas Schjelderup fired a speculative effort past the English defence following the first hydration break.
The deficit did not last long as Anthony Gordon found his team-mate on the edge of the penalty area in first-half stoppage time.
The Real Madrid midfielder controlled the pass expertly before driving a precise left-footed strike into the net to restore parity.
Captain Harry Kane had the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside.
England ultimately secured the win to book their place in the final four, continuing a 2026 tournament already characterised by several high-profile refereeing disputes.
An Argentina women’s youth national team coach has been accused of years of sexual and psychological abuse against minors following claims made by a French investigative journalist.
The severe allegations suggest the unnamed coach subjected young players to systemic harassment, including demanding intimate photographs and making threats.
Investigative reporter Romain Molina has stated that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) was fully aware of the coach’s conduct but failed to intervene.
The accused individual reportedly remains in his post within the Under-16 and Under-17 setups without facing any official sanctions.
FIFA ethics complaint allegedly dismissed
Affected individuals reportedly attempted to bring their case to world football’s governing body under the condition of strict anonymity.
However, it is claimed that the FIFA ethics committee dismissed the complaints citing a purported lack of concrete evidence.
Those sensitive proceedings allegedly resulted in the complainants’ identities being exposed, placing the vulnerable young athletes at further risk.
Neither the South American federation nor the youth coach in question has publicly responded to the allegations.
Widening scandal engulfs Argentine football
These deeply concerning abuse claims emerge during a turbulent period for the reigning men’s World Cup champions’ administrative body.
Recent reports indicate that the AFA is currently facing an FBI examination regarding potential fraud and money laundering.
US investigators are allegedly scrutinising more than $300m (£235m) that was supposedly moved through the American financial system.
The mafia of Argentine football.
Molina used the above phrase to describe the overarching situation, teasing a comprehensive upcoming report into the organisation’s governance.
Questionable commercial agreements
Further claims suggest the Buenos Aires-based administrators handed exclusive international commercial rights to a newly formed Miami company just days before their 2022 triumph in Qatar.
This obscure firm possessed no prior football background and reportedly received unusually high commission rates.
It is alleged that these substantial commercial funds were subsequently routed through various offshore shell companies.
If substantiated by primary documentation, these collective allegations threaten to cause unprecedented reputational damage to the sport’s national governing body.
Former Argentina and Boca Juniors midfielder Antonio Rattin, whose infamous 1966 World Cup dismissal inspired the invention of red and yellow cards, has died at the age of 89.
The South American football icon spent his entire domestic playing career with Buenos Aires giants Boca Juniors.
He represented his nation on the international stage between 1959 and 1969, featuring in two consecutive World Cup tournaments.
However, the tenacious ball-winner is most widely remembered for his controversial role in a fiery quarter-final defeat against England.
Wembley dismissal and lasting legacy
The Argentine captain was ordered off the pitch by German referee Rudolf Kreitlein during the tense 1966 encounter.
A prolonged standoff ensued because the furious player could not understand the official, who spoke no Spanish.
The defiant national team skipper initially refused to leave the field of play in an unprecedented act of protest.
He subsequently crumpled a corner flag bearing the English cross and sat down on the royal red carpet reserved for Queen Elizabeth II.
“When I got to the corner, I twisted the English flag and insulted them. Then I went over to the carpet the Queen used to enter the stadium and sat there for about five minutes. It was a very nice red carpet.”
Antonio Rattin
This high-profile language barrier prompted Fifa to rethink match officiating on a global scale.
The governing body officially introduced the now-universal yellow and red card system at the subsequent 1970 tournament in Mexico.
A revered figure in Buenos Aires
Away from the international spotlight, the robust defensive midfielder established an enduring legacy at club level.
He amassed 382 competitive appearances and scored 28 goals during a glittering 14-year spell in Argentina’s top flight.
The one-club man helped the institution secure four domestic league titles and drove them to the 1963 Copa Libertadores final.
Following his departure from professional competition, the esteemed veteran enjoyed a brief managerial stint with his beloved team before embarking on a career in politics.
His former employers released an emotional statement to express their deep sadness following the passing of their iconic star.
“With great sorrow, we mourn the passing of Antonio Ubaldo Rattin, an idol and symbol of our institution. We stand with his family and loved ones at this difficult time. Farewell, Rata.”
Boca Juniors
England midfielder Declan Rice has sparked major fitness concerns after being substituted at half-time during his nation’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami.
The Arsenal star had been battling a virus ahead of the crucial knockout tie and is also managing an ongoing hamstring problem.
Pundits and former professionals were quick to note the 27-year-old’s lethargic body language during a difficult first half.
Pundits question midfielder’s physical condition
Former international defender Lee Dixon highlighted that the usually energetic talisman looked heavily depleted when taking set-pieces.
“It’s not like Declan Rice, it took him an age to get out there to take that corner, he looks energy-depleted.”
Former England striker Ian Wright echoed those sentiments regarding the midfield anchor’s performance.
“He has been struggling in the first-half, you could tell with his set-pieces, he didn’t look right.”
Bellingham rescues trailing Three Lions
Manager Thomas Tuchel ultimately withdrew the fatigued player at the interval, introducing Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze in his place.
The fitness blow compounded a frustrating opening period for the tournament hopefuls after they fell behind to an Andreas Schjelderup effort.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was caught off guard by a cross-cum-shot, leaving his side facing an uphill battle.
The Scandinavian underdogs then squandered a glorious opportunity to double their advantage when Alexander Sorloth ignored an unmarked Erling Haaland on the counter-attack.
Heavy workload takes its toll
That selfishness was swiftly punished when Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham powered home a crucial equaliser following neat interplay with Anthony Gordon.
This latest physical setback follows a demanding domestic campaign where the robust holding player helped secure a first Premier League title in two decades for his club.
He had previously been rested for the final group stage victory over Panama in an attempt to manage his significant playing load.
Coaching staff will now anxiously await medical updates as they look to keep their star man available for the remainder of the tournament.