England fell 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semifinal despite Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute opener, with Lionel Messi providing assists for Enzo Fernández after the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez in stoppage time, according to the match report. Argentina will face Spain in the final.
Thomas Tuchel made multiple defensive changes after Gordon’s goal, replacing the scorer with Ezri Konsa in the 72nd minute and reverting to three centre-backs and two wing-backs, according to the match report. After the 82nd minute he substituted Declan Rice and Reece James for Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn, and only after Argentina went 2-1 up in stoppage time did Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney replace Djed Spence and John Stones.
From Gordon’s goal in the 55th minute until Martínez’s winner in the 92nd minute, England recorded 12% possession to Argentina’s 88%, the match report states. England’s five shots during the contest were their fewest in a World Cup match in the last 60 years, and the game marked the fourth time England scored first in a World Cup knockout match and still lost, tied for the most with Germany and Mexico. The report also notes that 77% of teams that score first in a World Cup knockout game advance.
Argentina’s numbers improved markedly after the 55th minute, with five shots before that point and 10 after, and expected goals rising from 0.18 to 1.48, according to the match report. Chance creation climbed from four to nine and attacking-third passes from 58 to 148. Argentina’s six goals between the 76th minute and the end of normal time were the most by any team at this World Cup, and Fernández’s equaliser was the team’s fifth goal from outside the box, also the tournament high.
Messi extended a record streak with a goal or assist in 11 consecutive World Cup games dating to 2022, the longest such run on record over the last 60 years, the match report says. His assist for Martínez was his 10th to the striker and his fourth of the tournament. Messi has 33 World Cup goal contributions in 33 games (21 goals, 12 assists), is tied with Kylian Mbappé for most goals in this World Cup with eight and is second in assists with four. He also leads the last 60 years in chances created with 99, created 25 chances at this tournament, and covered 8,348.54 meters in the match—his most in any 90-minute game of this World Cup.
