Argentina / AI Generated

In yet another marvellous comeback, defending champions Argentina overcame a 0-1 deficit to score twice in the last five minutes to beat England 2-1 to set up a summit clash with European champions Spain.

Led by mercurial Lionel Messi, holders Argentina came back strongly late in the second half to prevent an all-European final. Until the 85th minute, it looked like the match was going England's way before Argentina fought back from the brink to beat England with stunning goals masterminded by Lionel Messi to advance to its seventh final in the World Cup.

ALSO READ: Argentina gets past Swiss minus goals from Messi

At 39 years and 21 days old, Messi became the oldest outfield player to make an appearance in a World Cup semifinal, beating previous record holders Fritz Walter and Gunnar Gren, who were both 37 years and 236 days old when playing against each other for West Germany and Sweden, respectively, in 1958.

With his 121st appearance for England, Harry Kane became the outfield player with the most international outings for the Three Lions.

Martínez has now scored after coming on as a substitute in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Lionel Messi was declared man of the match.

Interestingly, there were seven players aged 32-plus among the 22 starters, representing the most in a World Cup semifinal. The previous high was six in 2006 when France played Portugal.

Argentina will take on Spain in Sunday's FIFA World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Enzo Fernandez and Lisandro Martinez, with the help of Lionel Messi assists, struck the late goals in a dramatic turnaround in Atlanta just as England were closing in on their first final in 60 years, following Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute goal.

Instead, La Albiceleste repeated its ability to stage a late second-half comeback to upstage its opponents. Argentina did it against Egypt to beat the Africans 3-2 after trailing 0-2. And today, after conceding the lead in the 55th minute, the South Americans reiterated their strong comeback ability by scoring twice late in the second half, another gallant fightback to prove their credentials as the world champions.

With this splendid win, Argentina can now look forward to its seventh World Cup summit clash and stand a step away from retaining its world crown.

Lionel Messi, like Kylian Mbappe of France, remains in the hunt for the Golden Boot award with his individual goals standing unchanged at eight. Mbappe, like Messi, also could not score in the semifinals and shares the top spot with Messi with eight goals.

While Lionel Messi has a chance to take his tally further in the final against Spain on Sunday, Mbappe, too, will be in the running when he takes the field against England in the match for third place.

The match between Argentina and England was long awaited as the two have not played each other for a long time. This eagerly awaited revival of one of international football's great rivalries ended with a repeat of the scoreline in the teams' most famous encounter in Mexico City 40 years ago.

Both teams started cautiously, refusing to take risks or attempting an early lead. The first exciting moment came only after 30 minutes of cagey and intensely contested game. It was only in the 33rd minute that either side produced an attempt on goal. That was when John Stones nodded wide from a Declan Rice free kick at the far post. At the other end, Fernandez flashed a fierce shot over the crossbar.

To break the deadlock, both teams had to produce something extra, something that could help it get past its opponent's defense and score. Neither Argentina nor England found moments of inspiration when it was most needed.

Julian Alvarez, hero of Argentina's previous win, sought to conjure one such moment soon after the restart, getting beyond Djed Spence following a long ball forward and drawing a smart save from Jordan Pickford at his near post.

England, however, had packed a surprise up its sleeve. Ten minutes into the second half, England made substitutions. Morgan Rogers, one of three players inducted into England's starting XI, delivered a terrific low cross from the right. Gordon, at the back post, got in front of Nahuel Molina to steer an excellent controlled finish into the corner of Emiliano Martinez's goal.

Another of the starters reinstated by Thomas Tuchel, Spence made a brilliant goal-saving tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone. As Argentina started retaliating with pressure moves, close calls continued as England sat increasingly deep.

Argentina's pressure started mounting. Substitute Nico Gonzalez saw his header foiled by a fine Pickford save, while Alexis Mac Allister headed against the post.

Eventually, the pressure told as, following a corner routine, Messi squared the ball to Fernandez, and he unleashed a magnificent shot from outside the box that flew past Pickford to his right.

Then, in added time, Mac Allister's shot struck a post, but Messi recycled the danger, delivering a right-footed cross that substitute Martinez buried at the far post.

"No words, no words. A joy for our country, for our people. The other day, I said this group never stops surprising me. And I'll tell you the truth, we're going to try to win, we're going to leave everything out there, but after this it's very difficult to get people to understand what these players are showing. It's incredible. We are unique, truly, and it's not arrogance, it's from the heart. We are unique. These people today carried us to win the match, so I'm grateful," Lionel Scaloni, Argentina coach, said in his post-match conference.

"I dreamed it [the goal], I swear. I told Alexis [Mac Allister] that I was going to score. I told him. I told Facu Medina on the bench that I was going to come on and I was going to win it. And it fell to me. Enzo scored a great goal too, and now that I'm calmer, I can tell you this team keeps showing what it's made of. [England] got tired. They pressed for 60 minutes. After that they had nothing left ... then they dropped back, and that gave us more calm when it came to moving the ball. We made the pitch wide and in the end we got the two goals, and after three and a half years we're back playing a World Cup final," commented Lautaro Martinez, Argentina's match winner.

England captain Harry Kane, disappointed as he was, said: "I'm gutted for the team, the staff, the fans. We played a good game for the majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try to hold on, which at this level is not enough. We worked so hard to be here. The lads have given every bit of blood, sweat and tears. To fall short like we did is just gutting.

"In the first half and the start of the second half, we pressed them well. We put them under loads of pressure high up the pitch. That allowed us to win balls and control the game. After the [England] goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us just not being able to match them man for man, it was just wave after wave [of Argentina attacks]. Lads were putting blocks in, but in the end it wasn't enough. We had a lot of good moments in this tournament. A lot of good games, another semifinal. We talk about knocking on the door. We're close, we just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament," he added.

Discover more at New India Abroad.