Key Points
- Argentina beat England 2-1 on July 15 in Atlanta to reach the World Cup final.
- Enzo Fernandez equalized in the 87th minute; Lautaro Martinez headed the winner in stoppage time.
- Anthony Gordon had put England ahead in the 55th minute.
- Argentina meets Spain in Sunday's final, defending its 2022 title.
Argentina reached its second consecutive World Cup final with a 2-1 comeback win over England on July 15 in Atlanta, scoring twice in the closing minutes after trailing for more than half an hour.
Both sides had come through the quarterfinals to set up the semifinal, and England looked the likelier finalist for much of it. Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead in the 55th minute, finishing Morgan Rogers' cross in transition, and the lead held into the final ten minutes.
Then Argentina did what it has done all tournament. Enzo Fernandez leveled with a long-range strike in the 87th minute, and substitute Lautaro Martinez headed home the winner in second-half stoppage time, with Lionel Messi orchestrating the late push. It was the same script that sent Argentina past Cape Verde in extra time earlier in the knockouts.
Argentina's title defense has run on nerve and Messi's late-game control more than on ninety minutes of dominance — a champion keeps winning the minutes that decide a match rather than the match outright.
Argentina now faces Spain in Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium; Spain beat France 2-0 in the other semifinal. England and France meet Saturday for third place.
Source: Yahoo Sports.
Argentina's run ended in the final, beaten 1-0 in extra time by Spain as it played the closing stretch a man down after a red card.
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