Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
Defending champions Argentina have booked their place in the FIFA World Cup final for the second consecutive tournament after producing a stunning late comeback to defeat England 2-1 in the second semifinal on Wednesday night.
England looked set to secure a place in the final after Anthony Gordon gave his side a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute. Argentina remained behind until the closing stages before turning the match around with two goals in the final seven minutes.
Enzo Fernández leveled the score with a spectacular long-range strike from around 25 yards after being set up by Lionel Messi. Deep into stoppage time, Messi delivered a pinpoint cross that substitute Lautaro Martínez headed home to seal a dramatic victory and send Argentina into the final.
Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final on July 19, with the defending champions aiming to retain the title and claim their fourth world crown.
The celebrations, however, sparked controversy after Argentine players displayed a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" ("The Falkland/Malvinas are Argentine"). The banner reignited the long-standing sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands, leading to clashes between Argentine and English supporters.
The Falkland Islands, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, have been claimed by both Argentina and the United Kingdom for decades. Argentina occupied the islands on April 2, 1982, but Britain regained control after a 74-day war. Argentina maintains that the islands belonged to it following its independence from Spain in 1816.
This will be Argentina's seventh FIFA World Cup final, having previously reached the title match in 1930, 1978, 1986, 1990, 2014, and 2022. The South American giants won the World Cup in 1978, 1986, and 2022, and now have the opportunity to lift the trophy for a fourth time and become back-to-back world champions.
