Argentina defeats England 2-1 to reach World Cup final
Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1 in the semifinal in Atlanta, securing a place in the final against Spain.
Argentina advanced to the World Cup final after a 2-1 semifinal win over England in Atlanta on Wednesday. England took the lead early in the second half through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina equalised when Enzo Fernández scored from 20 yards in the 85th minute. Lautaro Martínez added the winning goal with a header from a Lionel Messi cross three minutes into stoppage time.
The South American side will meet European champions Spain in the final at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said the team's previous semifinal experience was valuable, noting that "having the experience of playing in a World Cup semifinal is a plus, but it doesn't guarantee anything."
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made several tactical adjustments after a substitution at halftime, including bringing on Nico González and Rodrigo De Paul, and introducing Martínez in the 81st minute, which he described as a decisive change.
England coach Thomas Tuchel responded to Argentina's comeback by making defensive substitutions before adding attackers Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney later in the match, but the changes did not alter the outcome. England finished the game with three shots after Gordon's goal and were unable to create further scoring opportunities.