The echoes of disappointment in Kansas City will undoubtedly resonate even deeper than those felt in São Paulo. Just as in the World Cup Round of 16 twelve years prior, Switzerland ultimately succumbed to Argentina after a tenacious battle.
Goals from Julian Alvarez in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the 120th+1 minute delivered a crushing blow to a Swiss side that appeared on the verge of victory, were it not for an improbable turning point: Embolo’s red card, which occurred mere moments after Dan Ndoye’s equalizer in the 67th minute. At that juncture, it felt as though Switzerland was poised to overturn Argentina. Yet, the Albiceleste, ever the survivors, continue their quest for a second consecutive title.
Long before this cruel conclusion, Switzerland had initiated the match positively. However, after just ten minutes, Argentina had already taken the lead. The architect? Lionel Messi, whose perfectly delivered corner found Alexis Mac Allister’s head. Djibril Sow, starting under Murat Yakin, was mere centimeters from intercepting the Argentine midfielder’s decisive strike past Gregor Kobel in the 10th minute.
Switzerland’s commanding display
Yakin’s team, initially somewhat subdued, mirrored their Round of 16 performance against Colombia in terms of offensive output. By halftime, despite a noticeable dominance in possession, they registered only a single shot on target: a strike from Sow at the edge of the box that Emiliano Martinez comfortably gathered 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 inside the area, which went unpunished by the referee in the 31st minute.
Everything shifted after the break, with Switzerland emerging more assertive, overtly dominant, and finally creating dangerous opportunities. Capitalizing on the spaces left by the Argentinians, they began testing Martinez’s reflexes. First, with two headers from Embolo, both well-saved by the Argentine goalkeeper in the 60th and 65th minutes, followed by a low, long-range shot from Xhaka in the 66th minute.
The breakthrough ultimately came from Dan Ndoye. Fed by Xhaka on the left, the Vaudois winger executed a flawless one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez, then precisely placed his right-footed shot past Martinez in the 67th minute. Switzerland had equalized, and it was a thoroughly deserved reward for their efforts.
Embolo’s emotional exit
However, just as they had gained momentum, a twist of fate clipped their wings. The play seemed innocuous: at midfield, Embolo fell after a challenge from Leandro Paredes, who received a yellow card. But the Basel striker’s simulation, initiating his dive before contact, did not escape VAR’s scrutiny. The video assistant referee, now empowered to alert the main official when a yellow card has been incorrectly issued, prompted Mr. Pinheiro to reverse his decision and penalize Embolo for simulation. Crucially, the number 7 had already been booked before halftime. The outcome: a red card.
Devastated, Embolo tearfully departed the pitch, consoled by his teammates. The red card was particularly cruel as Amdouni was in the process of removing his bib, seemingly preparing to replace Embolo. The substitution never materialized, and Switzerland was forced to continue with ten men.
Remarkably, they managed to hold out for another 30 minutes, regrouping into a 5-3-1 formation to force extra time. During this period, Argentina had two significant chances: a right-footed shot from Messi that grazed Kobel’s post in the 90th+2 minute, and another from Lisandro Martinez, well-saved by the Swiss keeper in the 90th+9 minute.
Alvarez ignites the stadium
Heroic in their defiance, Switzerland held on for another 25 minutes in extra time before finally capitulating. It took a magnificent goal from Julian Alvarez to breach Kobel’s defense, who had heroically delayed the inevitable until then. Alvarez exquisitely curled the ball into the Swiss top corner, sending tens of thousands of Argentine supporters into a frenzy and shattering the dreams of an entire nation. Martinez then sealed the victory with a third goal on a final counter-attack.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, the overall assessment for this Swiss team remains positive. They achieved their stated objective: to deliver their finest World Cup performance in history. Reaching the quarter-finals and securing two knockout stage victories was indeed an unprecedented accomplishment. The next, equally challenging, step will be to retain their position within the global top-8.
