Argentina holds a 1-0 lead over Switzerland at halftime in their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final match at Kansas City Stadium. The lone goal came in the 10th minute from Alexis Mac Allister, marking his first goal of the tournament. The goal was assisted by Lionel Messi, who delivered a corner kick that Mac Allister headed into the bottom-right corner of the net.
The match began with Switzerland showing early intent, enjoying possession and looking to pressure the reigning world champions. However, Argentina soon found their rhythm. The opening goal followed a period of sustained pressure from back-to-back corners, with Messi providing a precise delivery.
Despite the early lead, Argentina did not immediately extend their advantage. After Mac Allister’s goal, they did not register another shot for the next 35 minutes of the first half. The team appeared content to control the tempo and maintain their one-goal lead, often allowing Switzerland to hold possession while seeking opportunities on the counter-attack.
Switzerland, captained by Granit Xhaka, gradually grew into the game after conceding the early goal. They created a few promising moments, with Djibril Sow registering their first real effort of the evening. Sow collected the ball outside the penalty area, spun into space, and unleashed a powerful right-footed strike, which was comfortably gathered by Emiliano Martínez, the Argentina goalkeeper.
The Swiss side also earned a dangerous free kick on the left edge of the penalty area. However, Remo Freuler opted to shoot directly for goal from a tight angle, sending his effort over the crossbar and leaving Martínez untroubled. Despite having an edge in possession and touches in the opposition box, Sow’s shot remained their only attempt on target for a significant portion of the first half.
Play was briefly halted for a hydration break, drawing boos from some sections of the crowd eager for the action to continue. During this pause, Argentina maintained their 1-0 lead, while Switzerland used the opportunity to regroup and strategize for a comeback.
As the first half progressed, the intensity of the match increased. Breel Embolo of Switzerland was shown a yellow card after a late challenge on Leandro Paredes in midfield. Several Argentina players immediately surrounded the official, demanding a booking, which was promptly issued to the Swiss striker.
Towards the end of the first half, Switzerland had another moment of promise when Embolo looked set to break through on goal. However, Emiliano Martínez reacted quickly, charging off his line and making a brave, clean slide tackle on the ball before making contact with the Swiss striker. Despite brief appeals from Switzerland, the challenge was deemed perfectly timed, and play continued with Argentina’s lead intact.
The second half began with both teams returning to the pitch without any substitutions. Argentina now has 45 minutes to protect their slender lead, while Switzerland needs to find a response to keep their World Cup 2026 hopes alive. The tempo of the game picked up after the break, with both sides trading attacks in what became an increasingly open contest.
Argentina continued to threaten from set pieces. Lionel Messi swung in a dangerous corner from the right, which Enzo Fernández attempted to flick on towards the near post, but the effort went wide. Later, Messi unlocked the Swiss defence with a perfectly weighted pass to Nahuel Molina, who burst into the final third and shot from a tight angle, though his effort went wide.
Switzerland also created an opportunity when Breel Embolo raced onto a through ball and squared it across the box for Dan Ndoye. Ndoye’s first-time effort was brilliantly blocked by Lisandro Martínez, who threw himself in the way. However, the assistant referee’s flag was raised for Embolo’s earlier offside, meaning the chance would not have counted anyway. The match continues in Kansas City.
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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
