KANSAS CITY: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said their 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday was further proof that his team have grown comfortable operating in challenging situations.
Forced to come from two goals down in their improbable 3-2 round-of-16 win over Egypt, and then pushed to the limit again by a relentless Swiss side, Scaloni's men found answers when the pressure was at its greatest, scoring twice deep in extra time to reach the last four.
For Scaloni, the ability to suffer without losing belief has become one of the defining characteristics of this Argentina squad.
"We knew that we were going to suffer, and this is part of our blood, this is part of our DNA, and this brings peace of mind," the coach said.
Argentina's path through the tournament has been far from straightforward. They twice squandered leads to Cape Verde before grinding out a 3-2 victory in the round of 32, and then were 2-0 down to Egypt until the 79th minute before their comeback.
Scaloni believes the experience of Qatar 2022, where they captured the title with a penalty shootout victory over France, has helped his players navigate those difficult moments.
"In Qatar, we were not that experienced, I myself included, and those kind of situations were very difficult," he said.
"However, now we are more experienced because we know what it feels like to be dominated by the opponent, to concede an equaliser, so today we kept our composure. The team knew how to remain calm and, of course, we will never give up."
Switzerland looked capable of derailing Argentina's campaign after they equalised in the 67th minute, but Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure the dramatic victory.
"It was a tough opponent," Scaloni said. "It was very difficult for us to win the duels, to put more than five or six passes together.
"They were very strong, and they made that struggle in the one versus one in different areas of the pitch. We suffered quite a lot."
Yet even on a day when Argentina were below their best, Scaloni felt his squad's depth and collective belief carried them through.
"We also have players on the bench who can turn the game on its head, and this is something very good," he said. "Ultimately, we always find the solutions."
The coach repeatedly returned to the theme of unity in his post-game press conference, crediting a group that has bought into his vision during six demanding weeks together at the tournament.
"This is thanks to the players because they had to trust in the process," he said. "We are a collective side. We are together. We are very much united. And this is proof that football is complicated."
Scaloni also highlighted Argentina's improvement on set pieces after midfielder Alexis Mac Allister headed home their opening goal from a Lionel Messi corner.
"Alexis McAllister is one of the greatest. So all praise to him because he's been working very hard," Scaloni said.
The reward for Argentina is a sixth semi-final appearance in their last six major tournaments.
"I hadn't thought about it, but this is something to be very proud of," he said.
If Argentina do lift the trophy again, this campaign may be remembered less for flowing football than for the stubborn resilience that has carried them through
"When you reach a semi-final, you need to suffer," Scaloni said. "You need to go through it."
— Reuters
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