Irrepressible Argentina produce goods in epic win over England

Just one more step to go. For the third time in the last four editions of the World Cup, Argentina are heading to the final. And while the Albiceleste have celebrated epic knockout wins plenty of times in the recent past, particularly these last five glorious years, few would have tasted sweeter than this most recent success.

For England are a rival that, like it or not, will always transcend football. There is too much history, too much venom in the relations between the two countries for events to be contained within the confines of the football pitch. And no matter how much Lionel Scaloni assured that Wednesday would be a purely sporting affair, there was an extra edge to the semi that we rarely see in the largely sanitised world of modern international football as the tackles started flying in from both sides as soon as the first whistle blew.

That the game did not degenerate into an all-out brawl should be credited to both coaches, who appeared to calm their troops during the first cooling break (another example of how these new ‘quarters’ have reshaped the game) and referee Ismail Elath, authoritative and assured without either destroying the rhythm of the match or letting things get out of hand. Even so, the first half was far more notable for its fouls and conflicts than flowing football, reflecting an intriguing chess match where the stakes could not have been higher.

Someone had to blink first, and it was England. Aided by some awful Argentina defending, the Three Lions cut a swathe towards Emiliano Martínez’s net 10 minutes after the break and Anthony Gordon was left with the simplest of finishes to open the scoring. The goal came at a point of near-dominance by England but curiously seemed to take the wind out of their sails: with more than half an hour still to go doubt entered their mind over whether to go for the kill or protect their flimsy lead.

Argentina, on the other hand, have played their best football throughout this tournament when the objective is made starkly clear. So it proved again. Score, or go home, and Scaloni’s men placed all their efforts into securing the first of those options. So serene beforehand, the England box was suddenly awash with blue shirts as between Jordan Pickford and the woodwork they just about managed to keep the danger at bay. Until they did not. Enzo Fernández finally found his mark from deep after several menacing shots to level the scores and celebrated in a way unlikely to ingratiate the Chelsea star with fans back in west London.

It is hard to see the equaliser as anything but poetic justice against an England team that had stopped playing altogether since Gordon’s strike. There was no time, or seemingly willpower left, either to fight back in the final minutes. Lionel Messi had a quiet game by his standards but still laid the ball on for Enzo’s hit, and he came up with a pinpoint right-footed cross for the anointed super-sub of 2026 Lautaro Martínez to head home and clinch another final. Cue more tears, celebrations and joy on the bench, on the pitch, on the stands and anywhere in the world two or more Argentines happened to congregate, reminiscent of those wonderful scenes of four years ago where we believed anything was possible.

So, is it possible? Spain lie in wait in the deciding game, European champions, a veritable juggernaut of intricate passing triangles, immaculate throughout the tournament and with Messi’s own spiritual heir Lamine Yamal threatening to burst into his own dazzling best form. But as we said prior to Wednesday, this Argentina simply does not know how to lose. It despises defeat, cannot digest the very concept, will do anything in its power to avoid any scenario which does not end with Messi lifting yet another trophy. And that in itself is an extremely powerful weapon.