Scaloni praises Argentina resilience after comeback win over England
Argentina beat England 2-1 in Atlanta to reach the World Cup final, with Lionel Scaloni crediting his players’ response after falling behind.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Argentina reached the FIFA World Cup final after coming from behind to beat England 2-1 in their semifinal in Atlanta, AFP reported. Coach Lionel Scaloni said the win showed the resolve of a team that has now produced two knockout-stage recoveries in the tournament.
According to AFP, England led 1-0 before Argentina fought back to secure a place in Sunday’s final against European champions Spain in New Jersey. Scaloni said Argentina sensed an opening after England dropped deeper with the lead.
“I think that this team plays the best when we are facing adversity,” Scaloni said Wednesday, according to AFP. “We had a challenging game, a challenging situation.”
Scaloni said Argentina kept pushing despite repeated missed chances. “There was blood in the water, and we went for it. That’s the feeling that I was getting,” he said.
Argentina had struck the woodwork and created several opportunities before completing the turnaround, Scaloni said. “You just have to keep going. We hit the crossbar. We hit the post, and it just couldn’t go in. There’s six or seven chances, but I’m very pleased about that, because the team fought to the very end, and I think this is critical.”
The result followed another late escape in the last 16 against Egypt, AFP reported. Scaloni had described that earlier comeback as “epic,” and when asked for a label for the victory over England, he replied: “Epic squared?”
Scaloni framed the semifinal win as a collective effort rather than a moment defined by one player. AFP’s match photo identified Enzo Fernandez celebrating Argentina’s first goal, but Scaloni focused his post-match comments on the group’s shared response under pressure.
“This group is difficult to explain. It is a show of the collectiveness, the brotherhood that we are in, the fight to the very end that we have,” Scaloni said.
The final gives Scaloni a chance to lead Argentina to a fourth consecutive major title, AFP reported, after Copa America wins on either side of the 2022 World Cup triumph. Argentina will face Spain, the European champions, in New Jersey on Sunday.
Scaloni said his players did not appear burdened by the stakes of a semifinal or the prospect of another final. “I know the guys. They fear nothing,” he said. “They don’t feel the weight on their shoulders.”
He added that Argentina’s freedom under pressure had helped drive the comeback. “They’re playing like they’re seven or eight years old. They’re not thinking about ‘oh, what’s going to happen if we miss’, or they’re not thinking about the semifinal or final.”
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.