Álvarez and Martínez Sink Switzerland as Argentina Storm Into Semi-finals
The Decisive Swing
Argentina needed extra time and a red card to close out Switzerland, but when Julián Álvarez struck in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martínez sealed it eight minutes later, the world champions emphatically booked their place in the Semi-finals. What looked like a comfortable path after Mac Allister's early opener turned into a tense war of attrition — one that ultimately Argentina had the quality and resilience to win.
Key Moment
The match turned twice. The first time was the 72nd minute, when Breel Embolo — already on a yellow card from the 44th — collected his second and walked. Switzerland were chasing the game and suddenly down to ten men, yet they made Argentina work through 90 minutes and into extra time. The second pivot came at the 112th minute: Álvarez, stationed centrally, pounced to restore Argentina's lead after Dan Ndoye's equalizer in the 67th had leveled things up and silenced a partisan crowd. Martínez added the third in the 120th minute to put the scoreline beyond doubt.
How It Unfolded
Mac Allister set the tone inside ten minutes, giving Argentina a deserved lead that reflected their early control. Switzerland steadied themselves and Ndoye's well-taken equalizer gave the Swiss genuine belief heading into the final quarter-hour. Embolo's red card changed the arithmetic entirely, but Argentina still required two extra-time goals — and yellow cards for Almada, Martínez, and López in a feisty closing period underlined how much Switzerland pushed them even with ten men.
Betting Implications
Argentina entered this tournament carrying a perfect five-game winning run, and they extend it here to six. Switzerland won four straight before this defeat, so this was no soft quarter-final — the Swiss had quality and showed it for an hour. For bettors, Argentina's ability to grind out results under pressure — winning despite conceding and needing extra time — is the key narrative heading into the Semi-finals. Expect the world champions to open as favorites whenever their next opponent is confirmed, and futures value on them reaching the final looks increasingly difficult to find.
Keep an eye on Álvarez and Martínez injury updates after a bruising extra-time finish before locking in your next wager.