TWELVE-MAN Argentina beat 10-man Switzerland to keep Lionel Messi’s World Cup career going – and set up a clash with England.
At least that is what the conspiracy theorists will say after Swiss striker Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for diving after VAR intervention.
Julian Alvarez’s winner secured Argentina a semi-final spot against England Credit: Getty
Alvarez scored a 20-yard stunner in extra-time in Kansas City Credit: Reuters
He found the top corner from the edge of the penalty area Credit: Reuters
Alvarez was mobbed by his team-mates in another nervy win for the 2022 World Cup winners Credit: Getty
Argentina will play England on Wednesday in Atlanta in the second semi-final Credit: Getty
The latest controversial moment of officiating to benefit the defending champions came just after Nottingham Forest winger Dan Ndoye had brilliantly cancelled out Alexis Mac Allister’s early opener.
Referee Joao Pinheiro was called to the monitor after booking Argentina’s Leandro Paredes for a challenge on Embolo.
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He cancelled the decision, agreed Embolo was guilty of simulation and showed him a second yellow card.
The Swiss, level on goals but immediately a man down, held on to force extra time.
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They were less than 10 minutes from penalties when Julian Alvarez scored a brilliant winner to set up a Wednesday semi-final against England.
The Atletico Madrid forward’s shot from just outside the box was worthy of winning any game. Lautaro Martinez added the third at the death.
History will also record Argentina moved into the last four despite Messi failing to score, thus ending at nine matches his run of finding the net in consecutive World Cup appearances.
But the night will be remembered, rightly or wrongly for the Embolo-Paredes incident with 20 minutes of normal time to go.
Especially after accusations of refereeing bias in favour of Argentina in their last-16 win over Egypt.
No-one thought anything of Paredes’ booking until a VAR review was announced for “mistaken identity”.
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Alexis Mac Allister scored from a corner in the first half Credit: AP
The Liverpool midfielder glanced his header into the far corner Credit: Reuters
Dan Ndoye slotted in Switzerland’s equaliser midway through the second half Credit: Reuters
Switzerland seemingly were the team in the ascendancy after their equaliser Credit: AP
There was no mistake about the players involved.
But at this World Cup, VAR has the power to intervene if the award or non-award of a booking has potential red card implications.
Embolo had been booked in the first half for a foul, ironically on Paredes.
Pinhiero watched the footage, which showed Embolo already falling and then apparently stretching his leg out to make contact with the Argentinian.
And to the horror of everyone Swiss – and the delight of almost everyone else in the stands – he announced there had been no foul, Embolo had been guilty of simulation. and would be shown a yellow card.
According to the new rules, it was probably the right decision. But something about it still felt wrong.
The Swiss went berserk but regained their composure and held on pretty comfortably to force extra-time.
But they were unable to stop Alvarez ending their World Cup at the quarter-final stage, equalling their best performance when hosting in 1954.
Meanwhile Lionel Scaloni’s side moved a step closer to becoming the first team to defend the title since 1962.
VAR then intervened, which led to a Switzerland red card Credit: Getty
Breel Embolo was devastated as he was shown a red card Credit: AP
Argentina were unchanged from the team that started the crazy comeback win over Egypt.
Swiss boss Murat Yakin brought in Djibril Sow for Ardon Jashari.
It made an impact, but not one Yakin wanted.
The Swiss actually started pretty well, probing a bit in the opposition half without doing anything too threatening.
Argentina did not have meaningful possession for eight minutes. But when they did, they made it count.
After Mac Allister had an effort blocked behind for a corner, Messi’s delivery was headed away for another.
No-one thought to challenge Mac Allister, with Sow the man closest, and he sent a near-post header across Gregor Kobel and into the opposite corner.
Scaloni’s side cruised through the next few minutes, with Messi having a couple of darting runs and the Swiss looking a bit deflated.
The hydration break allowed Yakin to rally his troops and they started to win more of their duels. Breel Embolo found himself the wrong side of Lisandro Martinez but Emi Martinez came out and, according to the referee, got the ball. Embolo, to be fair, did not appeal.
Argentina mostly held their opponents at arm’s length, happy to concede possession and shuffle back and forth closing off passing channels.
Julian Alvarez found the top corner in the 112th minute Credit: Reuters
Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory with a third goal on the counter-attack Credit: Getty
Goalkeeper Martinez also had no problem with arrowing long kicks down field for Alvarez to chase. The first half faded as the sun set over the wonderful arena, which deserved a better contest.
After Rodrigo De Paul was guilty of a Depauling effort wide, Argentina were shown where complacency could lead.
The Swiss broke three against two and Embolo worked the ball across to Dan Ndoye. But he took just too long to shoot and Lisandro Martinez slid to block.
The Manchester United defender celebrated like he had scored again, as he did against Cape Verde.
It should have been a warning but Argentina continued to be sloppy, giving the ball away in their own half carelessly.
Goalkeeper Martinez tried to whip up the crowd after making a pretty routine catch from an Embolo header.
Ndoye’s pace continued to cause a bit of anxiety but the final ball was always lacking.
And when he got his head on a Ricardo Rodriguez cross, Martinex had to be alert, before also stopping a near-post effort by Sow.
But the goal was coming and it was no surprise who scored it.
Ndoye worked a simple give and go with Rodriguez and stroked the ball firmly across Martinez and into the net.
Moments later came the incredible Embolo-Paredes incident. It was a bizarre, dramatic moment on what had been a pretty quiet night, at least until Ndoye’s goal.
Lionel Messi was a frustrated figure at times on Saturday night and had words with the referee Credit: AP
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes watched on wearing an Argentina shirt Credit: Getty
Actor Jason Sudeikis was on the pitch before the game in Kansas City Credit: Getty
Argentina made a number of changes to try to finish the game.
But the match drifted for the remainder of the 90 minutes, apart from a chance for Mac Allister and then one for Messi.
Kobel saved and the assistant referee raised his flag, but replays showed the Argentina captain had been onside.
As nine minutes of stoppages began, Messi had a go with his right foot and was narrowly wide.
In the ninth, Argentina had their first shot on target since the goal. But Gregor Kobel saved Lisandro Martinez’s acrobatic volley.
Switzerland will feel they deserved at least extra time.
For the rearguard action to come, they could have done with Dan Burn getting back from Miami to England’s Kansas base and giving them a hand.
The Argentinian fans thought they had the breakthrough but substitute Thiago Almada’s shot was on the wrong side of the side netting.
Little else happened in the first half, as Switzerland defended valiantly and their opponents searched for inspiration.
Scaloni threw on striker Jose Manuel Lopez for the last 10 minutes.
And seconds after Messi forced a save from Kobel, Alvarez sent a fabulous shot arrowing into the top left-hand corner of Kobel’s net.
It was a superb goal. Substitute Martinez made sure with a third on the break in the final minute.
But the biggest talking point of the night had come an hour earlier.
