World Cup Desk — Argentina produced yet another remarkable comeback in the knockout stages, staging a dramatic late rally to defeat England 2-1 on Wednesday night and secure their spot in the final.
The reigning champions found themselves behind early in the second half but displayed relentless resilience, scoring twice in the final minutes to stun the English side at Atlanta Stadium.
The first half was a tense, physical affair with both teams struggling to establish a rhythm as fouls dominated the play.
The deadlock was broken shortly after the restart in the 55th minute when England’s young forward Anthony Gordon met a fine cross from Morgan Rogers, finishing with a crisp one-touch strike to put the English ahead 1-0.
Trailing behind, Lionel Scaloni’s side intensified their attack, putting constant pressure on the English defense.
Despite England’s stubborn tactical line, Argentina finally broke through in the 85th minute.
Midfielder Enzo Fernández unleashed a powerful long-range strike from outside the box that soared past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to level the match at 1-1.
With the game appearing destined for extra time, Argentina’s relentless momentum delivered a decisive blow in stoppage time.
In the 92nd minute, Lionel Messi delivered a pinpoint cross from the right flank to find an unmarked Lautaro Martínez, who calmly headed the ball into the back of the net to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory.
This thrilling comeback continues Argentina’s extraordinary run in the knockout phase, having previously overturned deficits against Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland.
Argentina will face Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 (1:00 AM BST), while England will take on France in the third-place playoff on July 18.