Semi Finals ·
England
4-2-3-1
Thomas Tuchel
HT: 0-0
Argentina
4-4-2
Lionel Scaloni
WinnerUpdated:
Half Time
0–0
90 Min
1–2
Goal Scorers
Assists
Ball Possession
Corners
Counter Attacks
Fouls
Free Kicks
Goal Attempts
Goal Kicks
Goals
Offsides
Red Cards
Saves
Shots Off Target
Shots On Target
Substitutions
Throws In
Treatments
Yellow Cards
Attacks
Dangerous Attacks
Total Passes
England
4-2-3-1 · Thomas Tuchel
Goalkeeper
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Argentina
4-4-2 · Lionel Scaloni
Goalkeeper
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Post-Match Analysis · Full Time
Argentina left Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the result and the momentum after a 2-1 win over England in the World Cup Final Stage Semi Finals. The game stayed locked at 0-0 through half-time, but the second half carried the decisive swing: England went ahead in the 55th minute, Argentina levelled in the 85th, and then struck again in the 90th to turn a tight contest on its head. For Malta fans following the action at Wednesday 15 July, 21:00 CEST, this was a finish that rewarded patience and punished any lapse at the end.
Thomas Tuchel's England had shaped the contest in a 4-2-3-1, while Lionel Scaloni's Argentina lined up in a 4-4-2, and the structure of the game reflected that balance for long spells. The first half ended scoreless, which underlined how little separated the sides before the interval. England did find the breakthrough first through the 55th-minute goal, but that lead proved fragile against an Argentina side that kept pushing until the final minutes. In a match defined by timing, the away team managed the sharper final surge.
The scoring sequence gave the match its rhythm. England's goal in the 55th minute suggested control at a crucial moment, yet Argentina's response in the 85th minute changed the mood inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The final goal in the 90th minute completed the turnaround and decided the tie in normal time. The timeline told its own story: one side led, the other stayed alive, and the late pressure from Argentina eventually delivered the winning margin. That kind of late control can matter just as much as the early chance to settle nerves.
There was also a disciplined edge to the game, with a yellow card for the home side in the 37th minute and three yellow cards for the away side in the 42nd, 51st, and 90th minutes. That pattern fits a match where the tension rose as the score remained close and the decisive moments kept arriving late. The attendance of 68239 added to the scale of the occasion at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the final minutes felt shaped by the pressure of a semi-final rather than by any long spell of control from either coach.
For Malta fans, the interest in a major knockout night like this is as much about the timing and the quality of the finish as the final score, and Wednesday 15 July, 21:00 CEST delivered both in one sharp sequence. The competition name, World Cup Final Stage, and the round, Semi Finals, now leave Argentina moving on with the winning goal coming in the 90th minute, while England are left with a defeat that was still balanced deep into the second half.
Argentina's 2-1 win now carries them out of the Semi Finals with the decisive edge built by the 85th and 90th minute goals, and Malta readers will remember it as a game that only truly opened up after half-time. With Lionel Messi recognised as player of the match, the finishing touch belonged to the away side when it mattered most.
Pre-Match Analysis · Full Time
The World Cup Final Stage Semi Finals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will put Norway/England and Argentina/Switzerland on the same stage in Atlanta, with a place in the next step hanging on a single night. For readers in Malta, Wednesday 15 July, 21:00 CEST gives a clear late-evening slot, and the setting adds weight before a ball is kicked. In a cup tie, every phase matters, and this one will arrive with no margin for a slow start.
Norway/England will come into the match as one half of a pairing that has already cleared the earlier cup rounds, while Argentina/Switzerland will arrive with the same pressure and the same reward in sight. With competition.name set as World Cup Final Stage and competition.round set as Semi Finals, the frame is simple: one team will move on, the other will not. That structure gives the opening spells extra value, because a semi-final does not leave much room to recover if the rhythm goes wrong.
The venue should shape the mood as much as the teams do. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will provide the backdrop for a game that sits on the edge of the competition, and the local start time will make it easy for fans in Malta to follow the build-up from the opening minutes. When a match is scheduled for Wednesday 15 July, 21:00 CEST, the timing itself becomes part of the occasion, especially for supporters tracking the outcome across different markets and time zones.
That combination of venue, date and round will make the contest feel bigger than a standard fixture. In a cup competition such as World Cup Final Stage, Semi Finals are about who handles the pressure first, and both Norway/England and Argentina/Switzerland will know that the margin for error is narrow. Fans in Malta will be looking at the same decisive question as everyone else: which side can control the night in Atlanta when the pace rises and the stakes sharpen?
Even before kickoff, the logic of the fixture points to urgency, because the competition.round is already down to Semi Finals and the next step will reward only the sharper side. Norway/England and Argentina/Switzerland will both want a clean opening, and the winner will move within one game of the title path that remains. For Malta readers, the late-evening slot and the available watch options will make this one of the clearest live appointments of the week.
That's it! The referee blows the final whistle
Today's attendance is 68239
Ball possession: England: 37%, Argentina: 63%.
Daniel Burn is penalised for pushing Emiliano Martinez
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Nicolas Otamendi relieves the pressure with a clearance
Elliot Anderson makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Nico Gonzalez makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
England take a throw-in in their own half of the field
The game is restarted
The play is stopped. The players are pushing and shouting at each-other, the referee should take action.
The referee signals a free kick as Jude Bellingham from England trips Lionel Messi
Ball possession: England: 35%, Argentina: 65%.
Cristian Romero from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Elliot Anderson wins an air challenge against Enzo Fernandez
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
England take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Emiliano Martinez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
England are trying to create something here.
Cristian Romero from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Cristian Romero relieves the pressure with a clearance
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Nico Gonzalez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Djed Spence is leaving the field to be replaced by Marcus Rashford in a tactical substitution.
John Stones is injured and is replaced by Ivan Toney.
Nico Gonzalez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Nicolas Otamendi from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Julian Alvarez relieves the pressure with a clearance
Ball possession: England: 33%, Argentina: 67%.
The referee shows Rodrigo De Paul the yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Lautaro Martinez managed to score from an easy position.
Lionel Messi provided the assist for the goal.
G O O O A A A L - Lautaro Martinez Argentina scores with a header.
The cross by Lionel Messi from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Gonzalo Montiel makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Jude Bellingham makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Close! Alexis Mac Allister with a great hit from long range that bounces off the post!
The match resumes with a drop ball
The fourth official shows there are 9 minute(s) of time to be added
Ball possession: England: 34%, Argentina: 66%.
John Stones is down injured and receives medical treatment on the field.
Play has been stopped because there is a player lying on the pitch.
John Stones from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Nicolas Otamendi relieves the pressure with a clearance
England are in control of the ball.
With that goal, Argentina equalised. Game on!
Lionel Messi provided the assist for the goal.
G O O O A A A L - Enzo Fernandez from Argentina beats the keeper from outside the box with the right foot!
Lionel Messi from Argentina takes a short corner kick from the right.
Enzo Fernandez fails to find the target with a shot from outside the box
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Goal kick for England
Ball possession: England: 35%, Argentina: 65%.
Nico O'Reilly successfully blocks the shot
A shot by Rodrigo De Paul is blocked
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
The game is restarted
Declan Rice is leaving the field to be replaced by Nico O'Reilly in a tactical substitution.
Reece James is injured and is replaced by Daniel Burn.
Reece James is down injured and receives medical treatment on the field.
Play has been stopped because there is a player lying on the pitch.
Nicolas Tagliafico is leaving the field to be replaced by Lautaro Martinez in a tactical substitution.
Nico Gonzalez is penalised for pushing Harry Kane
Marc Guehi from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Ball possession: England: 36%, Argentina: 64%.
Gonzalo Montiel successfully blocks the shot
A shot by Morgan Rogers is blocked
England are trying to create something here.
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Ezri Konsa relieves the pressure with a clearance
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Nico Gonzalez from Argentina is ruled offside
The cross by Lionel Messi from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Alexis Mac Allister sends a header towards goal, but Jordan Pickford is there to comfortably save it
The cross by Rodrigo De Paul from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
The cross by Gonzalo Montiel from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Oooh... that was a sitter! Alexis Mac Allister should have scored from that position
POST! A header by Alexis Mac Allister hits the post!
Agonizingly close! A header from Alexis Mac Allister bounces off the post!
POST! - A header from Alexis Mac Allister comes back off the upright!
The cross by Rodrigo De Paul from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Reece James from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Ball possession: England: 39%, Argentina: 61%.
Enzo Fernandez makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
England take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Goal kick for England
The game is restarted
Lisandro Martinez is leaving the field to be replaced by Nicolas Otamendi in a tactical substitution.
Nahuel Molina is leaving the field to be replaced by Gonzalo Montiel in a tactical substitution.
Giuliano Simeone is leaving the field to be replaced by Rodrigo De Paul in a tactical substitution.
Anthony Gordon is leaving the field to be replaced by Ezri Konsa in a tactical substitution.
Ball possession: England: 39%, Argentina: 61%.
Water break. It's hot out there today and the game is paused so the players can take some liquids on-board.
Cristian Romero is penalised for pushing Djed Spence
Nico Gonzalez sends a header towards goal, but Jordan Pickford is there to comfortably save it
The cross by Lionel Messi from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
John Stones relieves the pressure with a clearance
Jordan Pickford from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Lionel Messi swings in the ball from a corner on the right, but it is nowhere near a teammate.
Elliot Anderson relieves the pressure with a clearance
Marc Guehi from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Lionel Messi swings in the ball from a corner on the left, but it is nowhere near a teammate.
Declan Rice relieves the pressure with a clearance
The referee signals a free kick as Morgan Rogers from England trips Nicolas Tagliafico
Cristian Romero successfully blocks the shot
A shot by Harry Kane is blocked
Declan Rice makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Declan Rice shoots from outside the box, but Emiliano Martinez has it under control
Declan Rice tries his luck from distance but his effort ends up safely in the hands of Emiliano Martinez
England are trying to create something here.
Goal kick for England
John Stones relieves the pressure with a clearance
The cross by Lionel Messi from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Ball possession: England: 40%, Argentina: 60%.
Leandro Paredes is leaving the field to be replaced by Nico Gonzalez in a tactical substitution.
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Declan Rice makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
John Stones makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Argentina are trying to create something here.
John Stones relieves the pressure with a clearance
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Goal kick for England
Enzo Fernandez fails to find the target with a shot from outside the box
Argentina are trying to create something here.
John Stones from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Harry Kane relieves the pressure with a clearance
Elliot Anderson relieves the pressure with a clearance
Ball possession: England: 43%, Argentina: 57%.
Goal kick for England
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Harry Kane from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Lionel Messi from Argentina takes a short corner kick from the right.
Djed Spence relieves the pressure with a clearance
Argentina start a counter attack
Lisandro Martinez could cost his team a goal after a defensive blunder.
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Argentina are in control of the ball.
England managed to score the important first goal. Will they build on that?
Declan Rice made the key pass for the goal!
Anthony Gordon managed to score from an easy position.
Anthony Gordon managed to score from an easy position.
Morgan Rogers provided the assist for the goal.
G O O O A A A L - Anthony Gordon scores with the right foot!
Morgan Rogers creates a scoring opportunity for his teammate
England are trying to create something here.
Ball possession: England: 44%, Argentina: 56%.
Goal kick for England
Leandro Paredes fails to find the target with a shot from outside the box
Jude Bellingham from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Jude Bellingham is penalised for pushing Cristian Romero
England are in control of the ball.
England are trying to create something here.
After a tactical foul, Cristian Romero sees no other way than stopping the counter and receives a yellow card.
Cristian Romero from Argentina goes a bit too far there as the pulls down Jude Bellingham
Djed Spence relieves the pressure with a clearance
Nicolas Tagliafico makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Lisandro Martinez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Declan Rice relieves the pressure with a clearance
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Lisandro Martinez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
England are trying to create something here.
Ball possession: England: 42%, Argentina: 58%.
England are in control of the ball.
Goal kick for England
Leandro Paredes relieves the pressure with a clearance
John Stones from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Lionel Messi from Argentina takes a short corner kick from the right.
Marc Guehi successfully blocks the shot
Julian Alvarez from Argentina sends an effort wide of target
Julian Alvarez goes for goal, but the shot lacks precision and sails wide
Space opens up for Julian Alvarez but his finish goes wide of the target. Could have done better there.
Chance! Julian Alvarez finds some room for a shot but fails to work the keeper. It's a goal kick
Lionel Messi makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Good effort by Julian Alvarez as he directs a shot on target, but Jordan Pickford saves it
Djed Spence could cost his team a goal after a defensive blunder.
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
The second half is underway
It's over! The referee blows for half time
Ball possession: England: 44%, Argentina: 56%.
Enzo Fernandez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Dangerous challenge by Leandro Paredes from Argentina. Reece James on the receiving end of that.
Nicolas Tagliafico relieves the pressure with a clearance
Morgan Rogers from England is ruled offside
England are in control of the ball.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Nahuel Molina makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Elliot Anderson makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
The fourth official shows there are 3 minute(s) of time to be added
Julian Alvarez makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Ball possession: England: 39%, Argentina: 61%.
England are in control of the ball.
England take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Marc Guehi makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Cristian Romero makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
The referee signals a free kick as Enzo Fernandez from Argentina trips Elliot Anderson
Elliot Anderson makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Nicolas Tagliafico makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
England are trying to create something here.
After a tactical foul, Lisandro Martinez sees no other way than stopping the counter and receives a yellow card.
Lisandro Martinez from Argentina goes a bit too far there as the pulls down Morgan Rogers
Declan Rice makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Elliot Anderson makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Leandro Paredes wins an air challenge against Harry Kane
Ball possession: England: 42%, Argentina: 58%.
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Goal kick for England
Enzo Fernandez from Argentina tries to score from outside the penalty box. Unfortunately the effort is just outside the frame. Close!
Harry Kane successfully blocks the shot
A shot by Lionel Messi is blocked
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Elliot Anderson commits a rough foul on an opponent and goes into the referee's book
The play is stopped. The players are pushing and shouting at each-other, the referee should take action.
The referee signals a free kick as Elliot Anderson from England trips Lionel Messi
Argentina start a counter attack
Leandro Paredes wins an air challenge against Jude Bellingham
Emiliano Martinez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
The ref blows his whistle. Nahuel Molina charged Jude Bellingham from behind and it's a free-kick
Djed Spence makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Lisandro Martinez relieves the pressure with a clearance
Ball possession: England: 40%, Argentina: 60%.
The referee signals a free kick as Giuliano Simeone from Argentina trips Marc Guehi
Goal kick for Argentina
A chance presents itself to John Stones from England but his header goes wide
John Stones wins an air challenge against Lisandro Martinez
The cross by Declan Rice from England successfully finds a teammate in the box.
The referee signals a free kick as Enzo Fernandez from Argentina trips Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Goal kick for England
Argentina are in control of the ball.
The referee signals a free kick as Anthony Gordon from England trips Giuliano Simeone
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Nicolas Tagliafico relieves the pressure with a clearance
England take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Ball possession: England: 42%, Argentina: 58%.
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Nicolas Tagliafico wins an air challenge against Morgan Rogers
Goal kick for England
Cristian Romero makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
The game is restarted
Water break. It's hot out there today and the game is paused so the players can take some liquids on-board.
Giuliano Simeone is penalised for pushing Jordan Pickford
Lionel Messi swings in the ball from a corner on the right, but it is nowhere near a teammate.
Ball possession: England: 43%, Argentina: 57%.
The game is restarted
Play has been stopped while the referee talks to the players.
Djed Spence relieves the pressure with a clearance
The referee signals a free kick as Jude Bellingham from England trips Alexis Mac Allister
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Argentina are trying to create something here.
Morgan Rogers is penalised for pushing Nicolas Tagliafico
Lionel Messi from Argentina is ruled offside
Elliot Anderson relieves the pressure with a clearance
The cross by Julian Alvarez from Argentina successfully finds a teammate in the box.
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Emiliano Martinez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Ball possession: England: 41%, Argentina: 59%.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Declan Rice makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Goal kick for Argentina
Enzo Fernandez makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
England are in control of the ball.
Giuliano Simeone is penalised for pushing Anthony Gordon
Djed Spence makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Leandro Paredes makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Elliot Anderson makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Marc Guehi from England intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Reece James could cost his team a goal after a defensive blunder.
Ball possession: England: 42%, Argentina: 58%.
Enzo Fernandez makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
England are trying to create something here.
The game is restarted
Play has been stopped while the referee talks to the players.
Giuliano Simeone from Argentina is ruled offside
Argentina are in control of the ball.
The match resumes with a drop ball
Play has been stopped while the referee talks to the players.
The referee signals a free kick as Morgan Rogers from England trips Lisandro Martinez
Enzo Fernandez makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Elliot Anderson makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
John Stones relieves the pressure with a clearance
Emiliano Martinez from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Elliot Anderson is penalised for pushing Enzo Fernandez
Ball possession: England: 46%, Argentina: 54%.
The referee signals a free kick as Giuliano Simeone from Argentina trips Elliot Anderson
Reece James from England goes a bit too far there as the pulls down Nicolas Tagliafico
Argentina are in control of the ball.
Dangerous challenge by Marc Guehi from England. Julian Alvarez on the receiving end of that.
Cristian Romero from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
Declan Rice swings in the ball from a corner on the right, but it is nowhere near a teammate.
Alexis Mac Allister from Argentina intercepts a cross aimed towards the box.
The referee signals a free kick as Giuliano Simeone from Argentina trips Elliot Anderson
Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
Alexis Mac Allister makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Cristian Romero makes the tackle and wins possession for his team
Ball possession: England: 51%, Argentina: 49%.
England are in control of the ball.
The game is restarted
The play is stopped. The players are pushing and shouting at each-other, the referee should take action.
The ref blows his whistle. Enzo Fernandez charged Elliot Anderson from behind and it's a free-kick
Argentina take a throw-in in their own half of the field
Leandro Paredes is penalised for pushing Jude Bellingham
England are trying to create something here.
England are in control of the ball.
England take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field
The weather only plays a minor part today, as the stadium roof has been taken into use
The pitch is in good condition today allowing for more technical play
Argentina kick-off, and the game is underway.
The referee starts the match
Welcome to Atlanta Stadium, the match will start in about 5 minutes.
Welcome to Atlanta Stadium where the two teams take the field for the start of this match.
Welcome to Atlanta Stadium where we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two teams
Welcome to Atlanta Stadium, where we await the arrival of today's teams.
Welcome to Atlanta Stadium, now all we need are the two teams.
Welcome to today's crucial game from Atlanta Stadium. We are awaiting the arrival of both teams, in anticipation of a great match!
Local broadcast partners for Malta have not been confirmed at the time of writing. Check official Malta broadcast partners or your local rights holder for confirmed coverage.
Kickoff in Malta is Wednesday 15 July 2026 at 21:00 CEST.
Local broadcast partners for Malta have not been confirmed at the time of writing. Check official Malta broadcast partners or your local rights holder for confirmed coverage.
Team news has not been confirmed yet.
Norway/England and Argentina/Switzerland have met 8 times in the available head-to-head summary, with 0 wins for Norway/England, 0 draws, and 0 wins for Argentina/Switzerland.
This is a World Cup Final Stage match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, USA.
Status
Finished
Attendance
68,239
Minute
90+10'
Winner
Argentina
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