Argentina vs England FIFA World Cup SF Match Results: Lionel Messi shines as Argentina beats England in Atlanta to advance to World Cup final | Football News
Lightning struck twice for England. A masterclass of late-game execution just as they dared to dream of a first World Cup final on foreign soil Lionel Messi Argentina dragged defending champions Argentina back from the brink of elimination with a 2-1 comeback win at a raucous Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday night.Trailing 1-0 with just five minutes of normal time left, Albiceleste looked a shadow of the side that conquered the world in Qatar. However, as their crown slips, Lionel Messi stands tallest. The legendary playmaker provided two assists in a devastating seven minutes, culminating in a header from substitute Lautaro Martinez in the 92nd minute, and Enzo Fernandez’s stunning goal in the 85th minute sent Atalanta’s South American side into a frenzy.Even before referee Ismail Elfat blew his first whistle, the game was well and truly one of the most intense and historic rivalries in international football. In the deafening atmosphere, fans from both teams tried to drown out the sounds of their opponents’ national anthems, and the tension quickly spread to the stadium. A highly testy first half was punctuated by physical clashes, with Leandro Paredes countering Jude Bellingham late in the game and Enzo Fernandez replicating his harsh treatment of Elliott Anderson.The first half was fruitless as neither side could establish a rhythm and the game ended in a goalless draw. But after the break, the tactical chess game suddenly came alive. In the 55th minute, Morgan Rogers sent a lovely cross from the right wing to the back post and Anthony Gordon sneaked past Cuti Romero to finish with a clinical shot past Emi Martínez.Facing behind, the England team led by Thomas Tuchel chose to retreat and switch to low defense. They were forced to endure tremendous pressure. Pickford’s fingertip save was denied by substitute Nico Gonzalez before Alexis McAllister hit the post with a header.Then comes the inevitable heartbreak. In the 85th minute, Messi passed the ball to Enzo Fernandez, who fired a fierce long-range arc shot into the far corner of the net.With England faltering and the structural calm shattered, Argentina struck the coup de grace two minutes into stoppage time. Messi found space on the wing, shifted the ball to his right foot and delivered a nonchalantly precise cross. Lautaro Martinez predicted the flight perfectly, dancing between John Stones and Reece James to head a five-yarder into the goal.When the final whistle sounded, an exhausted Messi fell to his knees in celebration. Argentina are now just one game away from tying Italy (1934-1938) and Brazil (1958-1962 in their historic back-to-back World Cup feats). With Spain standing in their way in East Rutherford on Sunday, it was a fittingly epic final for a landmark tournament.
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