Lautaro Martinez struck in the 121st minute to send defending champions Argentina into the World Cup semi-finals, sealing a 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the early hours of Sunday.
The Inter captain latched onto a rebound in the dying moments of additional time to settle a gruelling quarter-final contest. Alexis Mac Allister had given the reigning world champions an early advantage, finding the net after just ten minutes of play to put Lionel Scaloni’s side ahead.
Switzerland responded strongly after the interval. Former Bologna winger Dan Ndoye cancelled out the opener in the 67th minute, forcing the South Americans into another period of extra time. The equaliser ensured the match would extend beyond regulation time, continuing a taxing pattern for Argentina.
Extra-time deciders
The deadlock persisted until the additional period, when Julian Alvarez restored Argentina’s lead. With penalties looming, Martinez intervened in injury-time to prevent the contest from reaching a shootout and confirm the victory.
The winning goal stemmed from Thiago Almada’s incisive run into the penalty area. The midfielder tested Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel with a low shot, which the keeper managed to save. However, the ball fell kindly for Martinez, who made no mistake with a first-time finish on the rebound.
The strike marked the Inter forward’s second goal of the tournament, following a successful penalty conversion during Argentina’s 3-1 group-stage win over Jordan earlier in the competition.
Physical toll mounts
Argentina have now played the full 120 minutes in all three of their knockout fixtures at the 2026 tournament. The sequence represents a significant physical burden for Scaloni’s squad as they attempt to defend their world title.
England await
The victory sets up a semi-final encounter with archrivals England. The fixture will present a formidable challenge for the defending champions, who must recover quickly from their latest exertions before facing the European side for a place in the World Cup final.