Argentina mount incredible late comeback to edge England and reach World Cup final

[p]The feisty nature of the latest instalment of this historical World Cup rivalry was apparent from the off, with seven fouls already committed by the 10-minute mark.[/p][p]Neither side had really attempted to push forward before that point, and as that trend continued, there was a sense that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] would benefit most from the stop-start play. [/p][p]But some tricky running from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellingham-jude/QNvlPm7s/"]Jude Bellingham[/a] led to a free-kick which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stones-john/SlLxn4xl/"]John Stones[/a] nodded just wide, outlining [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a]’s intentions to forge ahead prior to half-time. [/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="e484ad09-fc90-4333-8da6-88ada32426f7" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="7f1e2ba9-bdd6-413d-bea4-6a6c2ef05f14" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]It was actually Argentina’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a] who went closest before the break with a powerful effort which sailed just over, though the first half’s tally of three total shots was never likely to see a side leading at the interval.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Julian Alvarez[/a] changed that almost immediately after the restart, testing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pickford-jordan/SKTJdUtH/"]Jordan Pickford[/a] at his near post, but it was the red and white section of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium which erupted to greet the eventual opener on 55’.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Declan Rice[/a] released [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] down the right, who swung a perfect cross to the far post for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gordon-anthony/EFo95m2P/"]Anthony Gordon[/a] to peel away and guide home from close range.[/b][/p][image alt="Anthony Gordon's goal for England" id="5fb12c8b-a216-4e82-82df-4b7ffa70d41f" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform (photo by REUTERS/Paul Childs)" guid="153e1d76-3d6f-40ca-b5d6-bde607963df9" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Going behind for just the second time in World Cup action since their group-stage loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022 gave Argentina more urgency, and Pickford was required to show lightning reflexes to prevent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gonzalez-nicolas-ivan/filNjPIq/"]Nicolas Gonzalez[/a] from nodding in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a]’s cross.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis Mac Allister[/a] then thumped against the post from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-paul-rodrigo/AZ6TTjDC/"]Rodrigo De Paul[/a]’s delivery, reigniting the Argentina faithful and their side’s hopes of an equaliser.[/p][p][b]Fernandez set his sights with a long-range shot which was tipped over by Pickford, before receiving it again from the resulting corner and burying his finish into the far corner from outside the area.[/b][/p][image alt="Argentina's Enzo Fernandez celebrates scoring their first goal" id="425278e8-4f2f-4fd3-be1b-9e7c9ab2e061" credit-line="Reuters / Agustin Marcarian" guid="87e14322-e856-47e3-8c88-be3b0e7dfe07" original-width="6000" original-height="4000" /][p]There was some inevitability about what followed, as Argentina continued to dominate and crushed England in the final moments.[/p][p][b]Mac Allister had just hit the post again before Messi swung the ball in for an unmarked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lautaro/QHk1CXUh/"]Lautaro Martinez[/a] to nod into the open net. England couldn’t respond, and were devastated to fall at the penultimate hurdle for the third time since they last won the World Cup. [/b][/p][image alt="Messi set up Martinez's winner" id="f37250f5-5683-4e4c-9d26-1ac6c292e666" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform (photo by REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian)" guid="683e0b7f-ca0a-4db0-8696-f4e8afbcc969" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]They will now meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] in Miami rather than heading to a third major tournament final in five years, while Lionel Scaloni will look to become just the second manager to win multiple WCs at the showpiece final in New York - their first meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] in this competition since 1966.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] (Argentina)[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="60e726e5-0bf0-41a1-9938-2295c04f2e5e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e0bff9c1-5cb0-43a9-9809-091cd140270c" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/england-j9N9ZNFA/summary/stats/?mid=pKVyGJbD"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]