England 1-2 Argentina: Holders Reach World Cup Final With Late Comeback

Argentina booked their place in the 2026 World Cup final with a 2-1 semi-final victory over England on Wednesday, roaring back from behind with two late goals, according to Flashscore.com and corroborating reports from Sky Sports, The Guardian and Al Jazeera.

England led through a first-half opener before Argentina struck twice in the closing stages to break English hearts, the outlets reported. ESPN identified Julián Fernández and Lautaro Martínez as the late scorers who sealed the turnaround. The result ended England's run at the last four, with the Three Lions conceding a two-goal swing inside the final minutes of normal time.

The victory sends the holders into a third consecutive World Cup final, with Lionel Messi again central to Argentina's progression, Olympics.com reported. England's elimination drew immediate domestic scrutiny of head coach Thomas Tuchel, BBC noted.

The final opponent is to be confirmed pending the outcome of the remaining semi-final.

**Global angle:** The defeat extends Europe's wait for a World Cup title and sets up a likely South American champion, with Argentina chasing back-to-back crowns.

**Sources** - https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqAFBVV95cUxNcTV3RWVGOFhsMlIwTWh3bU5McU9QZFlVQm1TXzBURWRVbTNLVTFKcFVoTTk0UXczNXozZmN3bE15LVlRcmQ1em80dW1JX3ljdGQ2anJWaHV4UmNaSjFLZC1rWVN4Q0h3N1ZuMFN0NlduVWxCUWREWk1qdVVsSEM0YURJeVBBbzA0NXRyeXhWWDhxQktlYm41dVJ0dWJtUUEwOVhtNzlVUUY?oc=5 - https://sourcereporters.com/sport/world-cup-2026-fixtures - https://sourcereporters.com/sport/world-cup-2026-final-preview - https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup

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