Argentina staged a dramatic late comeback to stun England 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, July 15, booking a place in the final against Spain at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
—-How it happened—
England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, who slid home a shot past Emiliano Martínez after a cross from Morgan Rogers.
Argentina responded 10 minutes later. Enzo Fernández scored to tie it 1-1, before Lautaro Martínez headed in the winner in second-half stoppage time.
![](https://www.theconclaveng.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Hartland.png")
The goal came from a Lionel Messi cross — Messi didn’t score but was central to the decisive move.
The win sends the defending champions from Qatar 2022 through to another final. They will face Spain, who beat France 2-0 yesterday.
—Key moments—
– 55′: Gordon puts England 1-0 up
– 65′: Fernández equalizes 1-1 for Argentina
– 90+: Martínez heads winner 2-1 for Argentina
– Referee: Ismail Elfath officiated a scrappy first half that ended 0-0
—What it means—
– Final set: Argentina vs Spain, July 19 at MetLife Stadium
– Golden Boot race: Messi remains on 8 goals this tournament, tied with France’s Kylian Mbappé
– England: Thomas Tuchel’s side are out after leading for 10 minutes in the second half
Argentina are now one win away from back-to-back World Cup titles.
