Argentina survived a grueling test from Switzerland, securing a hard-fought 3-1 victory after extra time at Kansas City Stadium to advance to the final four of the global tournament.
Key Match Moments:
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10th Minute: Argentina got off to a flying start. Lionel Messi swung a precise corner kick into the box, and midfielder Alexis Mac Allister timed his run perfectly to head it firmly into the back of the net, making it 1-0.
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67th Minute: Following a period of sustained pressure, Switzerland deservedly equalized. Dan Ndoye worked a neat one-two with Ricardo Rodríguez before slotting a low, composed finish past Emiliano Martínez to make it 1-1.
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72nd Minute: The momentum completely shifted when Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation inside the penalty box, reducing Switzerland to 10 men for the remainder of the contest.
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112th Minute: The crucial breakthrough arrived deep in extra time. Substitute José Manuel López picked out Julián Álvarez, who cut inside on the left edge of the area and curled a spectacular, swerving shot into the top right corner.
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120+1 Minute: Lautaro Martínez put the game entirely out of reach on a late counter-attack, smashing home the rebound after Thiago Almada’s initial effort was parried by Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel.
Standing & Bracket Impact: With this exhausting victory, defending champions Argentina extend their tournament unbeaten run to 12 matches and book their ticket to the semi-finals. They are scheduled to face old rivals England on Wednesday in Atlanta. This result also marks a historic milestone for the global tournament, as all top four teams in the international rankings (Spain, France, England, and Argentina) have successfully navigated their brackets to reach the final four stage.