England needed a late intervention from Jude Bellingham to overcome a resilient Norway 2-1, while Argentina defeated 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to keep their hopes of lifting the trophy alive.
Bellingham once again proved England’s hero, scoring the decisive goal just three minutes into the first half of extra time after the teams had been locked at 1-1 following regulation.
Norway had taken the lead in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup, who fired a powerful left-footed effort beyond England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after Erling Haaland had earlier threatened with a header.
Norway were left to rue a costly missed opportunity just before half-time when Alexander Sørloth opted to shoot instead of squaring the ball to an unmarked Erling Haaland during a two-on-one counter-attack.
With Haaland visibly calling for the pass, Sørloth delayed his decision, allowing John Stones to track back and execute a crucial block on the eventual shot. The decision quickly became one of the game’s defining moments, with many viewing it as the opportunity that allowed England to stay in the contest before Bellingham’s equaliser.
England had a breakthrough before the break when Bellingham produced a superb finish to restore parity, although the goal sparked debate after the ball appeared to strike the stadium’s Skycam wire during the build-up. FIFA later said there was no evidence from the ball’s electronic tracking system that its trajectory had been affected.
Norway thought they had regained the lead early in the second half when Torbjørn Heggem found the net following a corner, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review ruled Haaland had fouled an England defender in the build-up.
With neither side able to find another breakthrough in normal time, the contest went into extra time, where Bellingham reacted quickest after Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland parried a long-range effort, sliding home the rebound for his sixth goal of the tournament.
The victory keeps alive England’s bid to reach their first men’s World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966.
Argentina, meanwhile, had to overcome determined resistance from Switzerland before eventually sealing a 3-1 victory in Kansas City.
The South Americans made a bright start, with Alexis Mac Allister heading home Lionel Messi’s corner to give the reigning Copa América champions an early advantage.
Switzerland equalised midway through the second half when Dan Ndoye finished clinically after sustained pressure, having earlier seen chances denied by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
The match turned in Argentina’s favour in the 72nd minute when Swiss striker Breel Embolo was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for simulation, leaving Switzerland to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
Despite their numerical advantage, Argentina could not find a winner in regulation time. Messi came close with a curling effort that drifted narrowly wide, while Thiago Almada struck the outside of the post early in extra time.
The breakthrough finally arrived courtesy of Julián Álvarez, who curled a superb strike into the net before Lautaro Martínez added a third to put the result beyond doubt.
The victories complete the semi-final line-up, with England set to face Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta, while France and Spain will contest the other semi-final on Tuesday. The winners will advance to next Sunday’s World Cup final, while the losing teams will meet in the third-place playoff.
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