For a brief while, Switzerland, playing in their first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954, threatened to pull off what Cape Verde and Egypt could not.
An all-out attacking display in the second half, capped by Dan Ndoye's equaliser, pushed Argentina to the brink once again in this World Cup.
Switzerland were reduced to 10 men after Breel Embolo was sent off under FIFA's new "mistaken identity" VAR protocol, which was used for the first time at the 2026 World Cup.
ALSO READ: Lionel Messi's Argentina leave it late again, break Switzerland to book World Cup semifinal berthCatastrophe struck for Switzerland five minutes later.
Since the Swiss forward had already been booked earlier in the match, he was shown a second yellow card, followed by a red.
For a brief while, Switzerland, playing in their first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954, threatened to pull off what Cape Verde and Egypt could not. An all-out attacking display in the second half, capped by Dan Ndoye's equaliser, pushed Argentina to the brink once again in this World Cup. Switzerland's players argue referee Joao Pinheiro, of Portugal, gives a second yellow card to Breel Embolo (7) during the World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
But minutes later, the momentum swung dramatically. Switzerland were reduced to 10 men after Breel Embolo was sent off under FIFA's new "mistaken identity" VAR protocol, which was used for the first time at the 2026 World Cup.
The defending champions had taken an early lead when Alexis Mac Allister powered home a Lionel Messi corner. But Argentina failed to build on their advantage and were made to pay, with Nottingham Forest forward Ndoye cutting in from the left before calmly slotting home the equaliser just before the second hydration break.
ALSO READ: Lionel Messi's Argentina leave it late again, break Switzerland to book World Cup semifinal berth
Catastrophe struck for Switzerland five minutes later.
Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro initially booked Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes for what appeared to be a trip on Embolo. However, after being called to the VAR monitor, he reviewed the incident and overturned his original decision. The replay showed Embolo had gone to ground before any contact from Paredes, with the referee ruling it a simulation instead. Since the Swiss forward had already been booked earlier in the match, he was shown a second yellow card, followed by a red.
