Argentina stun England With Late Comeback To Reach World Cup Final

Enzo Fernandez celebrates goal

Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scored as Argentina edged England 2-1. Lionel Scaloni’s side now target back-to-back World Cups against Spain in New York.

Argentina stun England with late comeback to book World Cup final spot...

The defending champions will play in Sunday’s World Cup final after a dramatic 2-1 win over England. Argentina also kept their perfect record in World Cup semi-finals, winning all six they’ve played.

This latest chapter of the famous World Cup rivalry started tense. There were already seven fouls in the first 10 minutes.

Enzo Fernandez came closest to breaking the deadlock before half-time with a driven shot that went just over. With only three shots in the whole first half, it was no surprise the teams went in level.

 

Julian Alvarez lifted the tempo right after the restart, forcing Jordan Pickford into a save at the near post. But it was the Argentina fans who were celebrating when the first goal arrived in the 55th minute.

England struck first. Declan Rice found Morgan Rogers on the right, and his pinpoint cross picked out Anthony Gordon at the back post to tap in from close range.

Trailing for only the second time at a World Cup since the 2022 Saudi Arabia defeat lit a fire under Argentina. Jordan Pickford had to react quickly to deny Nicolas Gonzalez a header from Lionel Messi’s cross.

Alexis Mac Allister then rattled the post from Rodrigo De Paul’s ball in, and that woke up both the Argentina fans and the team’s push for an equalizer.

Enzo Fernandez tried his luck from distance and Pickford tipped it over. From the corner that followed, Fernandez got it back and smashed a first-time strike into the far corner from outside the box.

Argentina’s pressure told late on. They kept pushing and broke England’s resistance in the closing stages.

Alexis Mac Allister struck the post once more, and moments later Lionel Messi delivered for Lautaro Martinez to head into an empty net.

England had no answer. It’s the third time since 1966 that they’ve been knocked out in a World Cup semi-final.

Instead of a third major final in five years, England will now head to Miami for the third-place playoff. Meanwhile, Lionel Scaloni will aim to become only the second manager ever to win multiple World Cups in the final in New York. It’ll also be Argentina’s first World Cup meeting with Spain since 1966.