England collapses, Argentina advances to World Cup Final
- Ronan Briscoe
- 45 minutes ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Atlanta, as a host city, has produced some real show-stopping moments in this tournament, from Cape Verde's 0-0 draw with Spain, which set them on the course to make an unprecedented run, to Argentina's historic comeback against Egypt in the Round of 16.
With its final bow to the world, Atlanta delivered one final time as Argentina again came from behind to beat England 2-1 to book their place in a second consecutive World Cup Final, and a third in the last four tournaments.
The first half was a very cagey and physical affair as both teams looked to feel each other out, knowing that the heavyweight bout that was underway would in some way forever define the careers of everyone attached. There were hard fouls, and truthfully American referee Ismail Elfath just barely held control over the game.
However, the first half came and went without any alteration to the scoreline, and both teams went into the locker room to make adjustments. Of the early period of the second half, it was England's adjustments that proved the more effective, eventually resulting in a cross from Morgan Rogers that found the foot of Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute to put England ahead 1-0.
That was just about the very last positive moment England had all game. FC Barcelona's newest winger put England ahead, and from that point forward, Barcelona's greatest ever player took over. Lionel Messi might be 39 years old, but he has clearly left more than enough gas in the tank to turn back the years. From the moment the game restarted following Gordon's goal, it was all Argentina. Phrasing it that way might even be generous to England in truth.
Only one team heading into Wednesday's semifinal had ever scored first in a semifinal and gone on to lose. That was England in 2018 against Croatia. In Atlanta, the same story ruled again. Argentina found the equalizer in the 85th minute following a brilliant long range effort from Enzo Fernandez.
Then, just over six minutes later in the second minute of stoppage time, Alexis Mac Allister had a shot strike the woodwork, and the rebound found the feet of Messi, who drove down the right hand side, fizzed in a cross, and that cross found the head of Lautaro Martinez, who tapped it home from inside the six yard box to send Argentina to the Final once more.
Calling this tournament a pure fairytale for Argentina might be putting it lightly. They were taken to the brink by Cape Verde, they were taken to the brink by Egypt, they were taken to extra time by Switzerland. Coming into Wednesday, Argentina had played 360 minutes of knockout football compared to England's 300.
Much criticism has been lobbed at England manager Thomas Tuchel for, frankly incredibly negative tactical changes following Gordon's goal. That criticism is, in large part, fair. England took the lead, and then stuck the car in first gear and prayed for the final whistle. That's about the best way to describe it.
However, against a team that had to find a goal to take the lead three times against Cape Verde, a team that had to come back from a two-goal deficit in that very building against Egypt, a team that had to find a little bit extra to power past Switzerland, even up a man, that strategy was never going to work. It didn't work.
Between the 66th and 84th minutes as Argentina suffocated the game, England completed a whopping three passes. 18 minutes of play, and England completed three (!!!) passes. Two of those passes were from John Stones to Jordan Pickford in goal.
In the entire period between Gordon's goal in the 55th and Martinez's goal in the 92nd, England completed only nine passes in the final third. Argentina completed 160. Words cannot be found to accurately describe the things Argentina was doing to England for the last half hour of the game. England just let it happen.
Now, Argentina has a date with history in East Rutherford on Sunday, while England looks to regroup for Saturday's Bronze Final against France in Miami.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREMIER MEDIA GROUP / NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK /
NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561215500230
— All Rights Reserved, Premier Media Group / National Soccer Network
