By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): Argentina are through to the World Cup semi-finals, but once again, the champions did it the hard way. And the reward for their extra-time survival act against Switzerland is the fixture that makes football hearts race everywhere: England vs Argentina, Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Belize time.
For long stretches on Saturday night, Belize’s adopted team looked in control without being able to close the deal. Argentina struck early, taking a 10th-minute lead and dominating the ball, finishing with 59 percent possession and an avalanche of 23 shots. But Switzerland, true to their stubborn reputation, refused to fold. They levelled in the 67th minute and dragged the champions into extra time, even after being reduced to ten men late on.
Then, with penalties looming and Belizean nerves fraying, Argentina found their moment. A goal in the 112th minute finally broke the resistance, and another right on the 120th sealed a 3-1 victory that looked far more comfortable on paper than it ever felt in the moment. For the second straight match, after the great escape against Egypt, the champions flirted with disaster and lived to tell the tale.
Now comes the examination everyone will be talking about. England dispatched Erling Haaland’s Norway 2-1 to book their place, and Wednesday’s semi-final revives one of the sport’s most storied rivalries. This is the fixture of Maradona’s Hand of God and his Goal of the Century in 1986, of David Beckham’s red card in 1998 and his redemption penalty in 2002. Few matchups in world football carry this much history, drama, and bad blood.
And here is the uncomfortable truth for the Jewel’s Albiceleste faithful: the numbers narrowly favour England. The Three Lions have won ugly and won often this tournament, surviving the Azteca cauldron against Mexico and now toppling the team that eliminated Brazil. Harry Kane remains one goal behind Messi in the golden boot race, adding a personal duel to the national one.
But Argentina are champions for a reason. They have stared down two near-death experiences in a week and answered both times, and in Lionel Messi, likely playing his final World Cup, they carry the one player capable of deciding any match on earth.
The winner plays France or Spain in the final. First, though, comes a rivalry for the ages.
So Belize, the only question that matters: can Argentina beat England on Wednesday? Comment below.
The post Argentina survive the Swiss, now England await appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): Argentina are through to the World Cup semi-finals, but once again, the champions did it the hard way. And the reward for their extra-time survival act against Switzerland is the fixture that makes football hearts race everywhere: England vs Argentina, Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Belize time. For long stretches
The post Argentina survive the Swiss, now England await appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
