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On Saturday, the complete semifinal lineup for the was determined, featuring two quarterfinal matches that pushed the participants to their limits: England came from behind against Norway to advance, and Argentina required extra time to overcome Switzerland and keep their dream of defending the title alive.
Jude Bellingham was the great hero of the match held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where the Three Lions prevailed 2-1 over the Norwegians with a brace from the midfielder.
Norway, which had reached the quarter-finals for the first time in its history after eliminating Brazil in the round of 16 with a double from Erling Haaland, took the lead on the scoreboard thanks to a shot from Andreas Schjelderup that went in with the help of the post in the 36th minute.
England reacted before halftime with Bellingham's equalizer, and when the match seemed headed for extra time, the midfielder himself took advantage of a rebound in overtime to score the decisive goal and complete a comeback that puts England in the semifinals for the first time since 1990.
In Kansas City, Arrowhead Stadium was the scene of a much tougher match for the Albiceleste.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for Argentina, but Dan Ndoye equalized for Switzerland near the end of regular time, forcing extra time and repeating the pattern of a championship team that is not entirely convincing but always finds a way to move forward.
In extra time, Julián Álvarez unlocked the match with a stunning goal in the 112th minute, and Lautaro Martínez sealed the qualification with the 3-1 in the dying moments of the extra period, allowing Argentina to triumph over Switzerland in extra time and return to the World Cup semifinals.
Switzerland, which had eliminated Colombia on penalties in the Round of 16, reached its best quarter-finals in this tournament since 1954, highlighting the achievement of the Swiss team despite their elimination.
Lionel Messi, for his part, shares the top spot on the tournament's scoring table alongside Kylian Mbappé, adding another chapter to the rivalry between these two stars in this World Cup.
With the four semifinalists now determined—France, Spain, England, and Argentina—the tournament is entering its final stretch with high-stakes matches.
France and Spain will face off on Tuesday, July 14, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while on Wednesday, July 15, at 15:00 Cuba time, one of the most historic clashes in world football will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta: Argentina against England, a rivalry that begins on the playing fields but is rooted in the Falklands War of 1982 and in legendary matches like the one in Mexico 1986, featuring Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century."
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