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World Cup 2026: Argentina reach semi-finals after extra-time battle with 10-man Switzerland

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Argentina defeated 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in extra time on Sunday to secure their passage to the semi-finals, with the defending champions ultimately prevailing after Mac Allister’s early opening goal was cancelled out by the Nati’s determined comeback.

Fans of the South American team dominated the stands in Kansas City and were celebrating as early as the 10th minute when their hero Lionel Messi set up Alexis Mac Allister’s opener.

Switzerland levelled midway through the second half through Dan Ndoye but minutes later disaster struck when Embolo was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for simulation.

The match went to extra-time and Switzerland snuffed out wave after wave of attacks until Alvarez curled a breathtaking strike into the top corner in the 112th minute.

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Lautaro Martinez added gloss with a late third.

The hard-fought victory for Lionel Scaloni’s men at the Arrowhead Stadium means the top four teams in the FIFA rankings will contest the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament.

Argentina are now unbeaten in their past 12 World Cup matches as they attempt to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain their World Cup crown.

The South Americans swept through the group phase but struggled past minnows Cape Verde and needed a spectacular comeback against Egypt.

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Saturday’s game was another attritional affair against a Swiss team seeking to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Read moreArgentina-Switzerland: Lautaro Martinez seals Albiceleste’s passage to the semi-finals

Argentina took the lead with their first effort on target when Liverpool midfielder Mac Allister rose between Djibril Sow and Embolo to glance a header into the far corner.

Messi was the provider from a corner, taking his tally of assists across six World Cups to 10.

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He is also joint top of the Golden Boot standings with eight goals, level with French forward Kylian Mbappe but he did not find the net on Saturday.

The Swiss struggled to counter-punch but had a good chance on the half hour when goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was quickly off his line to deny Embolo.

Argentina failed to muster another effort on target before the break, with Switzerland outpassing the world champions.

The game struggled to catch fire early in the second half but Murat Yakin’s men warmed to their task and got their deserved reward in the 67th minute, when Ndoye swept home following a clever ball from Ricardo Rodriguez.

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Blockbuster semi-final

Five minutes later Switzerland shot themselves in the foot when Embolo, who had been booked in the first half, threw himself to the ground and was dismissed following a VAR check.

Mac Allister headed wide with the goal at his mercy as the clock ticked down and Messi sent a curling shot narrowly wide but Switzerland held on to force extra-time.

They continued to repel constant attacks in the first period of extra-time.

But Argentina finally broke Switzerland’s brave resistance with Alvarez’s moment of magic, which was celebrated by the whole squad, who were on the pitch again minutes later following Martinez’s strike.

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Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Bellingham’s brace sends England past Norway to semi-finals

Now the winners will turn their attention to the challenge of facing England in Atlanta on Wednesday after Thomas Tuchel’s men overcame Norway 2-1 earlier on Saturday.

The history of matches between England and Argentina is peppered with flashpoints on the pitch, set against a lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as the Malvinas, in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Britain sent a military taskforce in 1982 to reclaim the islands after Argentine troops invaded.

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Four years later Argentina secured a 2-1 victory over England at the Estadio Azteca with goals from Diego Maradona, one the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the other a dazzling solo effort considered one of the best ever.

The teams have faced each other twice in World Cups since 1986. Argentina won on penalties in 1998 while England gained revenge four years later.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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5 players who are switching states ahead of India’s 2026-27 domestic season ft. Shashank Singh

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10 minutes ago

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3 August 2026

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The annual pre-season transfer window in Indian domestic cricket allows players to switch state associations as outstation or guest recruits under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations.

State teams are permitted up to three guest players to strengthen their squads ahead of the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaigns. These transfers are driven by players seeking more game time, specialized roles, or leadership opportunities, while developing state teams aim to recruit veteran talents to bolster their squad depth.

The upcoming 2026-27 season features several notable moves, with prominent domestic regulars and IPL players shifting allegiances. Let’s take a look at five such moves.

#1 Shashank Singh

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Shashank Singh will turn up for Puducherry in the 2026-27 season after shifting base from Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) has already issued an NOC to the player.

Singh alleged that the state association didn’t support him while he was recovering from an injury that he suffered last season. He further claimed that the association questioned his commitment, saying that the batter only wanted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 27-year-old added that CSCS officials didn’t give him any clarity over why he was left out of the Chhattisgarh Premier League and the team’s pre-season camp.

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Singh has played 21 first-class games for Chhattisgarh over the last seven years. He has also represented the state in 31 List A and 42 T20s.

#2 Yash Dayal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler Yash Dayal will represent Chhattisgarh in the upcoming domestic season. He has already joined the team’s pre-season camp in Alur.

Dayal has not played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final, after which he faced charges relating to sexual assault. The left-arm pacer was retained by Gorakhpur Lions for the upcoming UP T20 League. However, he didn’t feature in the 18-member squad the franchise announced following the auction.

The 28-year-old has represented Uttar Pradesh in 27 first-class, 23 List A, and 71 T20s, picking up 186 wickets across formats, including two five-wicket hauls.

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Dayal will look to start fresh for Chhattisgarh in the upcoming season and make his way back to the scheme of things.

#3 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Chhattisgarh is looking to build a strong squad for the upcoming domestic season. As a result, they have roped in Saurashtra‘s veteran left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

The 35-year-old spinner has been a stalwart in the domestic circuit, picking up 423 wickets in 100 first-class matches, including seven 10-wicket hauls and 26 five-fors. Jadeja also has 121 List A and 65 T20 wickets under his belt.

Jadeja is also a very handy batter in the lower order, accumulating almost 2900 runs across formats. He also has 10 fifties under his belt.

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Jadeja’s addition will certainly boost Chhattisgarh’s squad depth as they look to put in a spirited performance next season.

#4 Prasad Pawar

Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar has signed with Puducherry to play alongside Shashank Singh as a guest player in the upcoming domestic season.

Prasad has struggled for game time in the Mumbai squad, with Hardik Tamore playing as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. As a result, Prasad has decided to shift base to Puducherry in search of more playing time.

Prasad made his List A debut in 2021, while his first-class and T20 debuts came in 2023. Overall, he has represented Mumbai in 27 matches, scoring 591 runs, including one hundred and fifty each.

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#5 Jayant Yadav

An offspinner from Haryana, Jayant Yadav, has decided to join Chhattisgarh for the 2026-27 domestic season. He brings truckloads of experience along with him, having represented India in six Tests and two ODIs while picking up 17 wickets in total.

Yadav has 96 first-class, 74 List A, and 95 T20s under his belt, picking up 272, 68, and 61 wickets, respectively, including two 10-wicket hauls and 15 five-fors. He is also very handy with the bat in the lower order, scoring 4781 runs, including three hundreds and 22 fifties. The 36-year-old cricketer also has one Test hundred and fifty each to his name.

Chhattisgarh will rely heavily on the spin duo of Yadav and Jadeja to bring laurels for the team in the upcoming season.