England and Argentina will meet again on the sporting stage after their World Cup semi-final produced days’ worth of fallout
Mere days after their dramatic World Cup semi-final, England and Argentina are set for another meeting on the international stage.
Argentina came out on top in Atlanta on Wednesday, scoring two late goals to come from behind and reach Sunday’s final. Now, though, England have a chance for revenge with a different shaped ball.
The Pumas will have home advantage in the Nations Championship on Saturday. However, Steve Borthwick and his players have history on their side.
On Wednesday, it looked for a while as though the reigning World Cup champions would see their hopes of back-to-back titles dashed. Anthony Gordon put England in front shortly before the hour mark, only for Enzo Fernandez to equalise from range and Lautaro Martinez to break English hearts with a stoppage time winner.
There has been plenty of controversy in the aftermath of the match. Argentina substitute Valentin Barco clashed with England players – with Jude Bellingham appearing to slap the full-back – while there were calls to ban Albiceleste players who displayed a banner relating to the Falkland Islands.
England’s midweek defeat means they are in action on Saturday. They will take on France in the third place play-off, with the game kicking off at 10pm UK time.
A couple of hours before that, the same country’s rugby stars will be in action in Santiago del Estero. Borthwick’s team have one win and one defeat from their first two matches, losing to South Africa in Johannesburg before thumping Fiji on home soil.
Argentina are chasing a third straight victory after getting the better of Scotland and Wales. Both of those matches were played in front of their own fans, in Cordoba and San Juan respectively.
England have dominated previous meetings between the two nations, winning 24 out of 30 encounters. That record includes victories in all five World Cup clashes – including two at the 2023 edition.
A number of squad members, including lock Alex Coles, are football fans and watched the midweek defeat. However, they opted against wearing their England shirts while out and about in Argentina.
“I think, bearing in mind where we are and who we’re playing with, we’ve been pretty sensible about not wearing our English shirts around too much,” Coles said. “We had them all out in Liverpool and got a bit of a better reception than we might do here.”
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