England’s path to the World Cup final has been reshaped after Argentina staged a stunning comeback to beat Egypt
England now know which teams they must overcome if they are to reach the World Cup final on July 19. Thomas Tuchel’s squad have progressed to the quarter-finals after their victory over Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning, aware that tougher challenges await them.
The Three Lions delivered a remarkable performance to defeat Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, battling through a thunderstorm and challenging altitude conditions.
During the match itself, Jarell Quansah was sent off and Harry Kane conceded a penalty, yet England endured to secure their spot in the last eight. There, they will face Erling Haaland and Norway, who have already produced one surprise in the competition. Haaland netted twice as they stunned Brazil 2-1 to claim their quarter-final berth.
The victors of that fixture might have been handed what many would consider a manageable tie on paper had Egypt progressed.
That appeared a genuine possibility when Egypt held a 2-0 advantage late in Tuesday evening’s clash, offering England the prospect of avoiding Lionel Messi and his teammates.
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However, Argentina had different plans, mounting a comeback to triumph over Egypt 3-2 with a spectacular 17-minute turnaround.
Egypt came close to securing one of the most sensational upsets in recent history after Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko established their surprising two-goal cushion.
It wasn’t until the 79th minute that Lionel Scaloni’s team staged a comeback. They were behind until the 79th minute, when Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez all netted goals to secure their spot in the next round.
England might have rejoiced had Egypt triumphed, as it would’ve meant avoiding Messi, who has been in stellar form with eight goals in the tournament.
They were initially expected to face Mexico, Brazil and Argentina en route to the final, but Norway’s victory coupled with an unexpected Egypt win would’ve theoretically made for an easier journey.
Norway demonstrated their quality by defeating five-time champions Brazil, so they certainly shouldn’t be underestimated and rankings mean nothing on the pitch. Similarly, Argentina will still need to beat Switzerland on Sunday to reach the semi-finals.
Switzerland were pushed into extra time and then penalties after a goalless draw with Colombia following 120 minutes of play. Former Manchester City player Manuel Akanji missed his penalty, but Switzerland emerged victorious 4-3 in the shootout after Davinson Sanchez and Cucho Hernandez failed to score from the spot.
So, how does England’s path to World Cup glory compare to their competitors?
France’s probable run of Morocco, Spain and England would represent an average rank of 4.3.
However, should Argentina make it to the final and set up a repeat of the 2022 edition, that would put the odds at 3.3 for the French, who currently sit third in the global rankings.