The echoes of regret from Kansas City will undoubtedly resonate even more profoundly than those from São Paulo. Just as in the World Cup Round of 16 twelve years prior, Switzerland ultimately succumbed to Argentina after a valiant and intense battle.
Goals from Julian Alvarez in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the 120th minute+1 proved to be the decisive blows, crushing a team that seemed poised for victory, had it not been for the improbable turn of events surrounding Embolo’s sending off, which occurred immediately after Dan Ndoye’s equalizer in the 67th minute. At that moment, it genuinely felt like Switzerland was on the verge of overturning Argentina. However, the Albiceleste, ever the beneficiaries of miraculous moments, continue their quest for a second consecutive title.
Long before this cruel conclusion, Switzerland had initiated the match with promising intent. Yet, after only ten minutes, Argentina had already taken the lead. The architect? Lionel Messi, whose perfectly struck corner found the head of Alexis Mac Allister. Djibril Sow, starting under Murat Yakin, was mere centimeters away from preventing the Argentinian midfielder from beating Gregor Kobel in the 10th minute.
Switzerland’s dominance
Still without Johan Manzambi, Yakin’s side initially appeared as ineffectual as they had been in their Round of 16 clash against Colombia. By halftime, they registered only a single shot on target, despite a clear period of possession: a strike from Sow at the edge of the box, which Emiliano Martinez comfortably collected in the 20th minute. The sole genuine threat to the Albiceleste in the first half was a shove by Lisandro Martinez on Embolo’s back, which went unpunished by a penalty in the 31st minute.
Everything shifted after the break, with Switzerland emerging more assertive, overtly dominant, and finally, genuinely dangerous. Exploiting the spaces left open by the Argentinians, they began to test Martinez’s reflexes. First, with two headers from Embolo, both well-saved by the Argentinian goalkeeper in the 60th and 65th minutes, followed by a low, long-range shot from Xhaka in the 66th minute.
Ultimately, it was Dan Ndoye who provided the breakthrough. Served by Xhaka on the left, the Vaudois player executed a flawless combination with Ricardo Rodriguez. A quick one-two later, he precisely struck the ball past Martinez with his right foot in the 67th minute. Switzerland had equalized, and it was thoroughly deserved.
Embolo’s emotional exit
But just as momentum favored them, a cruel twist of fate abruptly halted their progress. The incident seemed innocuous: at midfield, Embolo fell after a challenge from Leandro Paredes, and the Argentinian received a caution. However, the Basel striker’s simulation, initiating his dive before contact, did not escape the attention of VAR, which can now alert the referee when a yellow card has been incorrectly issued. Referee Pinheiro subsequently reversed his initial decision and penalized Embolo for simulation. The issue was that the number 7 had already been cautioned before halftime. The result: a red card.
Devastated, Embolo was forced to leave the pitch in tears, consoled by his teammates. The red card was particularly harsh given that Amdouni was in the process of removing his bib, presumably to replace Embolo. But the substitution never materialized, leaving Switzerland to finish the match with ten men.
Despite this setback, they managed to hold out for thirty minutes, grouped in a 5-3-1 formation, to force extra time. Argentina, meanwhile, had two significant opportunities: a right-footed shot from Messi that narrowly missed Kobel’s post in the 90th minute+2, and another from Lisandro Martinez, well-saved by the Swiss goalkeeper in the 90th minute+9.
Alvarez ignites the stadium
Playing heroically, Switzerland endured for another twenty-five minutes in extra time before finally cracking. It took a magnificent goal from Julian Alvarez to finally beat Kobel, who had postponed the inevitable until then. Alvarez launched the ball into the top corner of the Swiss net, igniting roars from tens of thousands of Argentinian supporters and shattering the dreams of an entire nation. Martinez then added a third goal on a final counter-attack.
Nevertheless, the overall assessment for this Swiss team remains positive. They achieved their stated objective: to deliver the best World Cup performance in their history. Reaching the quarter-finals by winning two knockout matches was indeed an unprecedented feat. The next, equally challenging, step will be to maintain their position within the world’s top eight teams.
