Argentina booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland after an entertaining quarter-final encounter.

The South American side made a bright start and took the lead in the 10th minute when Alexis Mac Allister finished from a Lionel Messi assist.

Switzerland responded strongly after the break, drawing level in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye, who converted Ricardo Rodríguez’s pass to force the match into extra time.

Argentina regained control in the additional period as Julián Álvarez restored the lead in the 112th minute with an assist from J. López. Lautaro Martínez then sealed the victory with a late goal in the 120th minute to send the reigning champions into the last four.

Switzerland’s hopes suffered a major setback when Breel Embolo was sent off in the 72nd minute after receiving a second yellow card, leaving his side to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

Argentina dominated possession with 60% of the ball and created more attacking opportunities, registering 22 shots compared to Switzerland’s 11.

Lionel Scaloni’s men also won eight corners and completed 615 of their 692 passes, reflecting their control throughout the contest.

Several substitutions helped Argentina maintain their momentum, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made key saves to deny Switzerland at crucial moments.

The victory keeps Argentina’s World Cup title defence alive as they advance to the semi-finals, while Switzerland bow out after a spirited performance against one of the tournament favourites.