Argentina advances to World Cup semis, but struggles against Switzerland

Argentina has secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, overcoming Switzerland with a 3-1 victory, though the team's overall performance was described as lackluster. Captain Lionel Messi, while not at his most influential, was seen celebrating the team's advancement, joining the chants of fans anticipating a semifinal clash against England.

The match against Switzerland marked what the publication described as Argentina's worst showing of the tournament so far. Collective play lacked clarity, and the team struggled until the scoring efforts of Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez provided a crucial lifeline. Despite the team's difficulties, coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged the historic nature of reaching the semifinals again, while also admitting that there are aspects of their play that need improvement.

Switzerland, a tactically disciplined side, managed to contain Argentina for significant portions of the game, even after playing with a man down for half of the second period and all of extra time following an expulsion. Messi had few impactful moments, though he was involved in the build-up to the opening goal and had a powerful shot narrowly miss the post late in regulation. In extra time, Argentina pushed forward with more determination than clear strategy, ultimately securing the win with goals from their forwards.