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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP ≡
● Argentina 2, England 1 ● This indoor matches in Atlanta started out physical and then got rougher, with six fouls in the first 10 minutes, and no shots. It’s the sixth World Cup meeting of the two sides – last in 2002 – with England leading, 3-2; the last “friendly” was in 2005.
No score and eight fouls in the first 20 minutes, with England probing and Argentina looking for super-scorer Lionel Messi, with no impact. The hydration break came in the 25th, with 10 fouls and no shots officially credited. Argentina had 58% possession.
England continued with a high press and it led to a free kick in the 33rd for the first recorded shot of the match. By the 40-minute mark, it was 16 fouls, a yellow card and three shots, only one of which was close, a liner from Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez in the 39th that was just over the crossbar.
The half ended scoreless, with Argentina at 56% of the ball and two shots to one … and 12 fouls to seven.
Argentine striker Julian Alvarez got loose at the right side of the England goal in the 47th, with the first shot-on-goal in the game saved by English keeper Jordan Pickford and another kicked into the side of the net. The game opened up a bit, with both sides taking some extended possession. Then England struck off a goal kick, with a long ball down the right side brought down by striker Harry Kane, then deflected, then picked up by midfielder Declan Rice, who forwarded it to striker Morgan Rogers on the right side.
He sent a seeing-eye cross from right to left into the box to a charging Anthony Gordon crossing into the box and firing with the right foot past Argentine keeper Emiliano Martinez in the 55th. Just like that, 1-0.
Argentina came right back and forward Giuliano Simeone had the ball running dangerously down the right side of the box, but was tackled perfectly by defender Djed Spence in the 58th for a corner, but before he could get a shot off.
Argentina held possession trying to break down a deep-set English defense, with England on the counter where possible. Messi’s corner in the 69th found the head of striker Nico Martinez, but his header was brilliantly saved by Pickford. The hydro break followed, it was Argentina with 69% possession, 6-4 on shots and 13-9 on fouls, but trailing.
The Argentines came out sending cross after cross into the box, with midfielder Alexis Mac Allister hitting the left post on a free header in the 76th, then Pickford saving him again a moment later. Argentina was all-out on offense with five in the box, and England stacked in defensively. But in the 85th, a right-footed strike from distance by Fernandez at the top of the box sailed into the net for the 1-1 tie, bending away from Pickford.
In stoppage time, Argentina stayed on offense, and at 90+2 Mac Allister’s shot hit the post and on the ensuing play, a cross into the box from the right side by Messi found sub forward Lautaro Martinez for a perfect header at 91+2 for the 2-1 lead. Amazing: two goals in 6:24.
England was frantic to try for the tie, but could not and Argentina heads to its second straight World Cup final, trying to become the first repeat winners since Brazil in 1962. Argentina ended with 64% possession, 15-5 on shots and 15-11 on fouls.
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Britain’s The Mirror reported on extra security controls for the game:
“England’s clash with Argentina on Wednesday night has been classed as the ‘highest risk’ match at the World Cup after a meeting of the FBI, officials, and local police. The FBI, FIFA, and police met on Monday as they sought to discuss the historical divide between the two nations and concerns over issues that could escalate between supporters.”
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Two matches left:
● Third: France vs. England on 18 July in Miami Gardens (5 p.m. Eastern)
● Final: Spain vs. Argentina on 19 July in East Rutherford (3 p.m. Eastern)
The final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey looks to be toasty: projected game-time temperature of 88 F, now expected to be sunny, with 55% humidity. That will have an impact.
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TicketData.com reporting showed that the average lowest “get-in” price for the semis rebounded – due to Argentina-England – from the quarterfinals:
● $913 for the Group Stage
● $1,015 for the Round-of-32
● $1,453 for the Round-of-16
● $1,188 for the Quarterfinals
● $2,246 for the Semifinals
There was a big difference in the pricing of the two semifinals:
● $1,315 for ESP-FRA semi ~ was $4,506 on 22 June (final pricing)
● $3,177 for ARG-ENG semi ~ was $4,596 on 22 June (final pricing)
The Argentina-England game price rose from $2,599 to $3,177 from Tuesday to Wednesday!
● $1,325 for third place ~ was $2,409 on 25 June
● $7,224 for first place ~ was $12,200 on 22 June
Through 102 of 104 matches, the median (not average) of the lowest “get-in” prices is $916.
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With FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) running for a third full term in 2027, InsideWorldFootball reported:
“A number of national association presidents have told Insideworldfootball that they have been put under pressure by FIFA staff members to send nomination letters. They have even been sent examples of letters from FIFA staff with the wording they want to see supporting Infantino’s re-election.
“The use of FIFA’s staff to lobby or campaign for presidential candidates is a clear breach of FIFA’s Governance Regulations and the FIFA Code of Ethics that requires political neutrality and that all officials and employees avoid leveraging FIFA resources or their positions to influence elections. …
“The lobbying of nations began with Africa’s member associations – traditionally Infantino’s core support base – before turning to Concacaf’s Caribbean and Central American nations with support from their regional associations.”
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