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Late comeback books final
Argentina stunned England with a 2-1 comeback to reach the World Cup final, with Enzo Fernández equalising in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez scoring in stoppage time.
“Who: England vs Argentina What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – semifinal 2 Where: Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States When: Wednesday at 3pm (19:00 GMT) How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream”
The match swung after Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute, leaving Argentina trailing deep into the second half before they dragged themselves back from the brink.
Lionel Messi provided the assists for both goals, and the win sets Argentina up to face Spain in Sunday’s final.
The BBC said England were left heartbroken as Argentina struck twice late on to come from behind and win a dramatic semi-final in Atlanta.
In the New York Times live coverage, Argentina’s late turnaround was described as a second successive World Cup final berth, with the defending champions breaking English hearts.
Kane and Tuchel react
Harry Kane conceded England had been too defensive after taking the lead, telling the BBC, "Once we went 1-0 up we seemed to just try to hold on, which at this level is not enough," and he said the team faced "wave after wave" of Argentina attacks.
Thomas Tuchel defended his substitutions and insisted, "We’re disappointed," while saying England were "so close" but "got too passive after the goal" and conceded "so, so many crosses and chances and shots."
The Guardian reported that Tuchel’s substitutions were criticised immediately by pundits and fans, with the head coach bringing on three defenders and switching to a back five to preserve the 1-0 lead.
NBC News said Tuchel told reporters, "In the moment, no regrets," and described England’s lack of attack after their only goal in the 55th minute as raising questions.
ESPN framed the semifinal heartbreak around Gordon’s 55th-minute opener and Argentina’s two goals in six minutes, with Lautaro Martínez’s injury-time header completing the comeback.
Final stakes and next matches
Argentina’s win puts them on the precipice of back-to-back World Cup titles, and CNN said the final is set as Argentina will meet Spain after scoring two late goals to defeat a shocked England 2-1.
“Argentina and England meet today at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final”
The BBC reported that England will play France in the third-place play-off on Saturday, while Spain face Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, with both matches listed for broadcast times.
Front Office Sports said the semifinal was played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta before a sell-out crowd of 68,239, and it described Argentina’s two late goals as earning a spot in back-to-back World Cup finals.
The New York Times live updates said Argentina will face Spain in Sunday’s final as they seek to become only the third nation to retain the World Cup.
In the Guardian’s account, the fixture against Spain was described as a chance for Argentina to retain the World Cup against the European champions, with Messi’s final appearance on the biggest stage mentioned alongside the possibility of disciplinary action from Fifa over a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”.
