Not coming home

England - Argentina 1-2

Well, I was genuinely upset at this. And the worst thing is, Argentina deserved to win this game.

For sure, they played dirty, the first half was chocked with all the tricks from the dirty book, Simeone should've been sent off within the first 15 minutes, and the ref was only blowing in one direction. But England came prepared. Excelent game management, stay clean, keep as much as the ball as you can, wait for the opportunity.

We barely saw Messi, he must've had like 3 touches in the first half. And opportunity came 10 minutes after the break, with Gordon doing really well to sneak behind the defender and slot Rogers' cross home. 1-0 England, and we're cooking.

Argentina ups the pressure, but England absorbs, Pickford makes an excellent save then immediately asks for the water break. Look at England, being all mature, doing game management and prepping for the World Cup final.

But this, the fourth quarter as our fellow Americans would say, is where it went tits up. More specifically, the substitution in the 72nd minute, Konsa for Gordon. You take out the biggest attacking threat of the game and the only goal-scorer to play a central defender in? That's small team mentality, that's not a World Cup winning team mentality. I suggested England plays hoofball, but it wasn't even that. It was keeping formation along the 16 yard box and lettign Argentina enjoy long spells of possession and have 20 minutes to come up with a plan.

Their goal wasn't even Messi, it was divine punishment. Although yeah, ok, Messi crosses the ball completely unbothered, and Enzo Fernandes heads it from the center of the box with 0 people marking him or challenging him for the ball. True, Josh Stones almost headed it away, but likewise, England ALMOST saw this game through.

1-1 with 5 minutes to go, everyone's thinking extra-time, but I already fear for England. And at least the suffering is cut short, with Lautaro Martinez hitting one from just outside the box, central. Pickford might've gotten it, but in hit Bellingham's leg on the way in, gave the keeper no chance.

Sure, let's put Rashford in for the last 5 minutes, see if he can come up with something. He can't. Argentina, mush as it pains me to say it, deserved to win the game, and they did it without being awarded a penatly or playing with superior numbers.

Spain are latey opportunists too though, with better organisation in midfield. I fully expect the final to be boring, but hopefully Marino will seal it at the death.