Lionel Messi and Argentina are once again in the semi finals of the World Cup, but as always, it came with a side of controversy.
An amazing strike from Julian Alvarez in the 112th minute curling the ball into the top corner from just outside the penalty area and a late third goal from Lautaro Martínez finally broke Switzerland's resilient defense to secure a great 3-1 win.
For the first time in this tournament, Messi failed to find the back of the net, but his teammates didn't let him down. He was still heavily involved, setting up the opening goal by delivering a precise cross for Alexis Mac Allister to head it in. It marked Messi's 10th career World Cup assist, each one provided to a completely different goalscorer.
- However, the biggest talking point of the match remains: Did Breel Embolo deserve his second yellow card?
In the 72nd minute, just five minutes after Dan Ndoye had scored a brilliant equalizer for Switzerland, Embolo went down following a challenge from Leandro Paredes. The referee originally showed a yellow card to Paredes, believing he had tripped the Swiss forward.
However things took an interesting turn when Video Assistant Referee Guillermo Pacheco Larios called the match official over to the monitor under the newly expanded mistaken identity rule. Video evidence clearly showed that Embolo had started falling before Paredes made any physical contact, exposing it as a clear dive. As a result, the card was transferred from Paredes to Embolo. Under this specific rule, if a card is shown to the wrong player, it is reversed and given to the actual offender. Because Embolo had already been booked earlier, this transferred caution became his second yellow, resulting in a red card.
This unusual application of the rule has split the football world into two sides.
Some agree that it was the right call, arguing that Embolo was the true culprit and fully deserved the booking, meaning justice was ultimately served.
Others argue that the decision was unfair and represented a manipulation of the rules. Historically, the mistaken identity protocol was designed to correct a mix up between teammates during chaotic conditions. Applying it to players from opposing teams sets a controversy.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin heavily criticized the decision after the match, arguing that the incident was merely a harmless, neutral third tangle that should have just resulted in play continuing, rather than a VAR intervention that destroyed Switzerland's momentum and tournament hopes.
Reduced to ten men, the Swiss fought bravely but ultimately failed to hold off the defending champions in extra time. Meanwhile, Argentina moves on to the semi finals regardless of another controversial refereeing call favoring them , where they are set to face England.