Alexis Mac Allister had put Argentina into an early lead, heading home from a Lionel Messi corner in the 10th minute in Kansas City.

The Swiss came back in the second half when Dan Ndoye fired into the far post on 67 minutes, btu Breel Embolo was sent off just five minutes later when he received a second yellow card for simulation after the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened to rule on a new "mistaken identity" rule when Leandro Paredes had been wrongly accused of fouling him.

The Swiss clung on, defending for their lives until the 112th minute when the ball broke to Alvarez on the left edge of the box, and he sent a sweetly struck shot to the top right corner, giving Gregor Kobel no chance. It was Alvarez's first goal of the tournament.

As the game stretched further with Switzerland chasing an equaliser, Argentina won possession and Lautaro Martinez was the beneficiary of the breakaway, finishing calmly to seal the result and book a place in the semi-finals, where arch rival England awaits after beating Norway 2-1 earlier in the day.