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WORLD CUP ROUND-UP: Lionel Messi 'disrespect'‚ manager sacked‚ 'hate' complaint and England row
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On one side of the draw‚ France and Spain‚ the stylists and the matadors‚ most people's pick for the best two teams of the tournament so far. In the other semi-final‚ two more sides who many see as mirrors of each other‚ two sides whose progress to the last four has been more about struggle than style. Thomas Tuchel talked candidly about England's search for their best form after the gritty victory over Norway in Miami on Saturday and‚ beyond all the freighted emotional and political baggage that will come with their clash in Atlanta on Wednesday‚ Argentina are enduring similar labours. They are led by the ageless wonder that is Lionel Messi‚ the joint top scorer in the tournament and the leading scorer in World Cup history‚ and that always has to be the starting point of any analysis of England's opponents.
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The incident occurred during the 42nd minute of the South Americans' 3-1 victory over the Swiss when Messi confronted Portuguese official Joao Pinheiro.
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The World Cup referee who oversaw Lionel Messi and Argentina's win to set up a semi-final against England overnight has been accused of 'being against' Switzerland as anger grows against the perceived treatment of the world champions. Switzerland's players and manager were incensed with Argentina's triumph‚ 3-1 in extra-time‚ after their striker Breel Embolo became the first player to be sent off as a result of a new rule for mistaken identity. With the quarter-final level on 72 minutes‚ Embolo was shown a second yellow card after a video assistant referee review which led to him being adjudged to have dived - rather than being fouled by Argentina's Leandro Paredes. A new rule introduced for this World Cup states that if a player is booked or sent off - but the foul was actually committed by the opposition - the decision can be changed.
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Jude Bellingham insists England manager Thomas Tuchel 'maybe doesn't know' what he's talking about in a remarkable spiky interview after the World Cup quarter-final win over Norway. The Three Lions needed extra-time - and two Bellingham goals - to get past Erling Haaland's Norway and set up a semi-final against Lionel Messi and Argentina to come on Wednesday night. Tuchel branded his players 'lucky' in an awkward ITV post-match interview - and Bellingham did not take to it kindly. At first England's matchwinner tried to dodge the topic pitchside‚ saying: 'Yeah‚ well‚ whatever.'
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DANIEL MATTHEWS IN KANSAS CITY: What a night it should be and what a glorious quirk of Messi's marathon international career that over the last 21 years‚ across six World Cups and 205 games for his country‚ the 39-year-old has never faced England. Meetings between these two nations don't come around often and the last time England faced Argentina - in a friendly in Geneva in late 2005 - Messi was suspended. A few months earlier‚ he had been sent off just 30 seconds into his Argentina debut against Hungary.
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FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has hit out at those questioning the integrity of the World Cup officials‚ insisting that they cannot be influenced by anyone. The standard of officiating has come under focus at times during this World Cup and that was intensified following Tuesday's gripping last-16 tie between Argentina and Egypt. Reigning champions Argentina battled back from 2-0 after 78 minutes to win 3-2 in Atlanta‚ with Egypt manager Hossam Hassan later accusing FIFA of rigging the World Cup in favour of Argentina's talisman Lionel Messi.
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Argentina players were heard singing a chant referencing the Falkland Islands in their dressing room after their stunning comeback win over Egypt‚ with their supporters already embracing the prospect of facing England in a World Cup semi-final. The reigning world champions had trailed Egypt 2-0 heading into the closing stages of their last-16 tie in Atlanta. A 79th minute goal from Cristian Romero sparked an Argentina fightback‚ with captain Lionel Messi scoring the equaliser just four minutes later.
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Lionel Messi broke down with tears of joy after Argentina survived a major World Cup scare to advance to the quarter-finals. The reigning champions looked set to be dumped out at the last 16 stage when they were trailing Egypt 2-0 with 12 minutes left in the second half. However‚ in one of the great comebacks in World Cup history‚ they scored three goals in 13 minutes to stun Egypt and set up a quarter-final showdown with either Switzerland or Colombia on Sunday‚ 2am (BST).
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Egypt manager Hossam Hassan has furiously accused FIFA of rigging the World Cup after a string of controversial refereeing decisions went against his side during Argentina's dramatic late comeback in Atlanta on Tuesday. Argentina‚ who were 2-0 down with 12 minutes to play plus stoppage time‚ looked destined to exit the tournament before late goals from Cristian Romero‚ Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez resulted in a remarkable 3-2 comeback victory. As Fernandez's game-winning header rippled the net in the 93rd minute‚ chaos broke out on the touchline as Egypt's furious staff remonstrated with referee Francois Letexier‚ leading to goalkeeper coach Saafan El-Sagheer being shown a red card and manager Hassan being dragged away from a confrontation with the official.
