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Enzo scored a 92nd minute winner against Egypt, Romero charged in front of Salah and wildly punched the air, his face full of the lingering fear of nearly being dragged down.
Enzo's 92nd-minute winner against Egypt, Romero charging at Salah and punching the air wildly, his face full of relief after nearly being dragged down.
In that match on July 8, Argentina was still 0-2 down at the 67th minute. They scored three goals in the final 13 minutes to force a 3-2 win.
Casual fans saw a thrilling script. Switzerland coach Yakin stared at the footage late at night, his eyes fixed on the defensive gaps. At the pre-match press conference, Yakin made it clear: "Facing the defending champions is a rare opportunity, but Argentina isn't that invincible."
Opta gave Argentina a 57.1% chance of winning in regular time, Switzerland 18.7%. Data agencies trust models, but tactical veterans only trust what they see on the pitch.
Playing two knockout matches, both ending 3-2. On July 4, they edged past Cape Verde in extra time, then were pushed to the brink by Egypt.
Messi has scored 8 goals in this World Cup, breaking the record for most goals in a single World Cup by a player over 30, with his total World Cup goals now at 21. The goals masked the sharp decline in the midfield and defense. De Paul, Enzo, and Mac Allister—these three midfielders are no longer in the form of their championship year. Scaloni was forced to have Alvarez drop back to receive the ball, stretching the formation thinner and thinner.
Zhan Jun pinpointed the issue: "Argentina's defensive vulnerabilities are largely due to their over-reliance on full-backs for attacking support." Without explosive wingers, full-backs are used as wingers, leaving huge gaps behind them.
The defensive midfielder couldn't cover either. Still Zhan Jun's analysis: "Single pivot Paredes, when Mac Allister pushes forward, can't handle all the defensive gaps alone." Coming back from two goals down relied entirely on star players' individual brilliance; the defensive system was already shattered.
The Swiss don't gamble; they only do the dirty work of grinding.
In this World Cup, they've conceded only 3 goals in 5 matches, quietly making progress. In the Round of 16 against Colombia, they ground out a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes, winning 4-3 on penalties, with Dortmund goalkeeper Kobel making a crucial save from the spot.
Yakin has Inter's Akanji and Gladbach's Elvedi at center-back, with a three-man or five-man defensive grind set up. The style may be ugly, but it's about cutting off Messi's connection to the midfield. With Argentina's midfield disjointed, Switzerland's high press targets exactly that weak point.
Xhaka leads this group of blue-collar players, dragging the game into a quagmire with the most tedious grinding tactics. Once a technical team gets stuck in, possession stats become worthless.
In the 2014 World Cup Round of 16, Argentina edged past Switzerland in extra time. Twelve years later, Switzerland has broken a 72-year quarterfinal drought, their last appearance being in the 1954 home World Cup.
In this Kansas City quarterfinal, the underdog team has no intention of saving face for the defending champions. Argentina's defense is still being masked by a 92nd-minute winner, but the Swiss have already figured out how to drag the crown into the mud.
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