Argentina and England will meet in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final after both sides came through gripping quarter-final ties that were settled in extra time.
The reigning champions defeated 10-man Switzerland 3-1, while England edged Norway 2-1 thanks to another match-winning performance from Jude Bellingham.
Argentina were pushed all the way by a resilient Switzerland side before late goals from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez finally sealed victory.
Alexis Mac Allister had given Lionel Scaloni's side an early lead, but Dan Ndoye equalised in the second half to leave the holders on the brink of a shock exit. Switzerland's task became even tougher when Breel Embolo was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the 72nd minute.
The Swiss looked set to force penalties before Álvarez curled home a superb strike in the 112th minute. Martínez then wrapped up the win moments later.
"We're used to suffering," Thiago Almada said. "We want to chase glory and put Argentina at the very top."
Scaloni admitted his side had been tested. "We had to suffer a lot... it's a big achievement to be in the semi-finals," he said.
Earlier, England booked their place in the last four with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway.
Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead before Bellingham equalised just before half-time. The midfielder then scored the winner early in extra time after reacting quickest to a saved effort from Morgan Rogers.
England manager Thomas Tuchel welcomed the result but admitted his side had not been at their best.
"The result is fantastic. We're in the last four. It's amazing, but I'm not happy with the performance," he said. "We were lucky today."
The victories set up one of the standout matches of the tournament, with England facing Lionel Messi and the defending champions for a place in the World Cup final.
The semi-final will take place in Atlanta on Wednesday, with both nations now just one win away from football's biggest match.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday despite an unexpected engine shutdown, deploying 26 new Starlink satellites before ending its shortened test flight with a controlled touchdown in the Pacific.
EU defence ministers have stepped up talks on military readiness and long-term support for Ukraine, as pressure mounts on Europe to close critical defence gaps and strengthen its ability to respond to security threats.
China and the U.S. have unveiled a broader package of economic cooperation after President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, covering tariffs, agriculture, coal, finance, aviation and artificial intelligence.
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