In a thrilling World Cup semi-final, Argentina staged a dramatic comeback to defeat England and secure their spot in the final against Spain on Sunday. The match, which seemed to be leaning in England’s favor after Anthony Gordon scored shortly after halftime, took a surprising turn in the closing minutes.
England, aiming for their first World Cup final appearance since 1966, adopted a defensive strategy in the later stages of the game. This allowed Argentina to ramp up their offensive efforts, leading to an equalizer in the 86th minute. Enzo Fernández found the back of the net following a short-corner routine involving Lionel Messi, reigniting Argentina’s hopes.
Shortly after, Alexis Mac Allister’s shot hit the post, but Argentina remained relentless. In the final moments, Messi sent a cross into the box, where substitute Lautaro Martínez rose to head home the winning goal, completing a stunning turnaround for the South American side.
The loss brought an end to England’s dream of reaching the World Cup final, raising concerns about the team’s performance under coach Thomas Tuchel. Despite a strong defensive showing for most of the match, England struggled to create scoring opportunities and ultimately couldn’t withstand Argentina’s late offensive surge.
With this victory, Argentina extended their unbeaten streak in the tournament and now look forward to facing Spain in the highly anticipated final match.