Scaloni Acknowledges Luck in Argentina's Win Over Switzerland

Argentina secured their place in the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, by defeating Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

The Argentine team opened the scoring early, with Alexis Mac Allister netting in the 10th minute. Switzerland equalized through Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute.

Switzerland was reduced to ten players following the controversial sending off of their star player, Breel Embolo. The referee issued Embolo a second yellow card for allegedly simulating a fall during a midfield challenge after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which applied the mistaken identity protocol.

Neither side scored during the remaining regular time, which ended 1-1, leading to two 15-minute periods of extra time.

Julian Alvarez scored Argentina's second goal in the 112th minute, marking his first goal of the tournament and his fifth in World Cup history. Lautaro Martinez added a third goal in the first minute of the second half of extra time, scoring his second goal of the current tournament.

Argentina, a three-time World Cup champion in 1978, 1986, and 2022, will face England in the semifinals. England advanced after defeating Norway 2-1 following extra time.

After the match, Argentina's head coach Lionel Scaloni described the win as hard-fought, emphasizing Switzerland's physical strength and the challenges posed by the opposition. He acknowledged that luck favored Argentina, particularly after Switzerland’s player was sent off in the second half, allowing Argentina to press their attack and secure victory in extra time.

Scaloni highlighted the historic nature of reaching the World Cup semifinals, stating, "This does not happen often."

Regarding the upcoming semifinal against England, Scaloni said the identity of the opponent, whether England or Norway, is not a concern. He noted that they will face a very well-performing team with an excellent coach but stressed the importance of recovering quickly.