Incidents in London and Atlanta
In London, police officers escorted an Argentina fan, wearing a shirt with Messi on the back, through a large crowd in Piccadilly Circus. The fan was surrounded by officers and led into a police van. Onlookers reportedly jeered the fan, and at least one object was thrown in their direction. Police cleared a path for the van to depart amid what were described as chaotic scenes, with many people filming the event. The Metropolitan Police often separate opposing football fans as a precautionary measure, and no further incidents were reported regarding this event. There was no suggestion of wrongdoing by the fan or others pictured.
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, footage shared online appeared to show Argentina fans brawling and throwing items, including bottles and furniture, hours before the World Cup semi-final match against England. The incident reportedly involved two groups of Argentina fans. Social media footage showed bins being thrown, along with kicks and punches. Local police intervened to separate the groups, which then appeared to disperse. It is not known if any arrests were made in connection with this incident.
England’s World Cup hopes dashed
The night was marked by disappointment for England fans in London, as their aspirations for the Three Lions to win the World Cup were not realised. Supporters of Thomas Tuchel‘s side had been optimistic about defeating the defending champions, despite concerns about captain Lionel Messi. The initial joy, following Anthony Gordon‘s goal 10 minutes into the second half after a goalless first 45 minutes, diminished when Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute. The situation worsened further when Lautaro Martinez scored in the 92nd minute, giving Argentina the lead.
Fans at Boxpark in Wembley were visibly upset and in tears after the final whistle. Twin brothers Luke and Vee Moore, both 33, had attended the north London venue believing England had a strong chance of winning. However, they criticised Tuchel‘s defensive substitutions. Vee expressed disappointment, stating that England had a great opportunity to win the World Cup against what he considered a weak Argentina team. He felt England played too defensively after taking the lead.
Luke echoed this sentiment, believing that England should have made more proactive substitutions, suggesting players like Rashford, Madueke, and Saka should have been brought on earlier to secure the game. He described Tuchel‘s approach as too negative, comparing it to a reactive rather than proactive style. Argentina is now set to face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday.
Team selections for the semi-final
Ahead of the semi-final match, Thomas Tuchel announced England‘s starting lineup, making three changes. Morgan Rogers was given a start, replacing Noni Madueke on the right side of the attack. Full-backs Reece James and Djed Spence were also included in the team. John Stones and Marc Guehi maintained their central defensive partnership, while Ezri Konsa and Nico O’Reilly were not in the starting eleven.
Declan Rice started in midfield despite having been substituted at half-time in the previous match against Norway due to a bug. Argentina‘s lineup included five players from the Premier League: Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, Manchester United‘s Lisandro Martinez, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and Liverpool‘s Alexis Mac Allister, all of whom started for the defending champions.
The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain is scheduled for Sunday.
Source: standard.co.uk