Argentina beats England 2-1, reaches FIFA World Cup final in style
Anthony Gordon scored first, but Messi inspired Argentina’s comeback victory.
- Argentina came from behind in the final minutes to win 2-1.
- Enzo Fernandez scored the equalizer in the 85th minute.
- Lautaro Martinez headed in the winner two minutes into injury time.
- The final will be Argentina vs Spain on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Atlanta felt like the center of the football world on Wednesday night as Argentina produced one of those trademark comeback wins that seem to belong to teams with belief in abundance. Trailing England 1-0 and staring at elimination with just five minutes left in regulation time, the defending champions found a way back through Enzo Fernandez and substitute Lautaro Martinez, turning a tense semifinal into a dramatic 2-1 victory and a place in the World Cup final.
For long stretches, England looked in control. Anthony Gordon’s goal gave them the lead and forced Argentina to chase the game against a disciplined opponent that seemed ready to protect its advantage until the final whistle. But this Argentina side has built its reputation on resilience, and when the pressure mounted, Lionel Messi and his teammates refused to accept the idea that the night was over. The response was not instant, but it was relentless, with wave after wave of attack slowly pinning England deeper.
The equalizer arrived in the 85th minute when Argentina’s pressure finally broke through and Fernandez delivered. The goal changed the mood inside the stadium immediately, lifting the Argentina supporters and stunning the England end that had been celebrating only moments earlier. Then came the decisive blow in injury time. Martinez rose to head home the winner two minutes into added time, sealing a comeback that felt both dramatic and deserved given the late momentum Argentina had built.
The atmosphere before kickoff had already hinted that this would be more than just another semifinal. The rivalry between Argentina and England brought a fierce edge to the occasion, and both sets of fans made their voices heard as they tried to drown out the other side’s national anthem. That noise never really left the stadium.
For Argentina, this was another reminder of why they remain so difficult to put away on the biggest stage. They were outplayed at times, tested emotionally, and forced to dig deep under intense pressure. Yet they still found the two moments that mattered most.
England will be left to reflect on how close they came to reaching the final. Argentina took that opening, widened it, and walked through it with conviction.
Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.