Quarter-final showdown in Kansas City
Argentina, the reigning champions, are currently facing Switzerland in Kansas City in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final match. The winner of this encounter will advance to play England in the semi-finals. The game is presently scoreless in the first half, with both teams appearing cautious in the opening minutes.
This match is the final quarter-final game of the tournament. The reward for victory is a semi-final berth against England, scheduled to take place in Atlanta on Wednesday. England secured their spot by defeating Norway 2-1 in extra time, with Jude Bellingham scoring two goals in South Florida. In the other semi-final, Spain will play France in Dallas on Tuesday.
Argentina has navigated through challenging matches to reach this stage, overcoming Cape Verde and Egypt. Their experience and squad depth have been crucial in these encounters. However, they previously conceded an early goal against Egypt, necessitating a comeback to keep their title defence hopes alive.
Team lineups and key players
The official lineup for Argentina features E. Martinez, N. Molina, C. Romero, L. Martinez, Tagliafico, Paredes, De Paul, Mac Allister, E. Fernandez, Lionel Messi (Captain), and Alvarez. Messi, who serves as the team’s leader and captain, has been a central figure in their campaign. He has scored in every game for La Albiceleste leading up to the quarter-final, and his all-time World Cup goal-scoring tally now stands at 21. He also leads the Golden Boot race alongside Kylian Mbappé with eight goals, though Mbappé has played one more game.
Despite his prolific scoring, Messi has missed two penalties in the tournament, with one proving particularly critical in a previous match. While he scored from the penalty spot in the 2022 World Cup final, reports indicate that five other Argentine players have a better conversion rate from penalties, with Leandro Paredes having the best record.
Switzerland‘s starting eleven includes Kobel, D. Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, R. Rodriguez, Freuler, Xhaka (Captain), Ndoye, Rieder, R. Vargas, and Embolo. Notably, Johan Manzambi, who has emerged as a star for Switzerland in this World Cup, is dealing with an injury and is not in the lineup. The Swiss team has demonstrated tactical discipline throughout the tournament.
Switzerland’s historic run
Switzerland has made a remarkable journey to the quarter-finals, breaking historical barriers in the process. They are competing in their sixth straight tournament, having previously been eliminated at the Round of 16 stage in the 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions. However, in North America, they have advanced further than before.
Their campaign began with a 1-1 draw against 2022 hosts Qatar, followed by a 4-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina. They then topped their group by defeating co-hosts Canada 2-1 in their final group game. In the Round of 32, Switzerland achieved their first World Cup knockout stage win since 1938 with a 2-0 victory over Algeria.
The Swiss then secured a penalty shootout victory against Colombia in the Round of 16, propelling them into the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954. Goals have been distributed among their players, including striker Breel Embolo, winger Ruben Vargas, and starlet Johan Manzambi. Their current match against Argentina represents their toughest test yet in the tournament.
The match between Argentina and Switzerland is the last multi-game day of this World Cup.
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Source: ca.sports.yahoo.com
