Argentina Advances to World Cup Semi-Final After Controversial VAR Decision

The VAR determined Embolo simulated a foul, not received one, leading to his dismissal under a 'mistaken identity' rule.

This specific rule, introduced by the International Football Association Board, permits decisions to change if a player receives a booking or a red card, but an opposition player actually committed the foul.

Earlier in the match, Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for Argentina; Dan Ndoye later equalized for Switzerland.

Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation shortly after Switzerland's equalizer; the Swiss bench and players immediately protested the decision.

Switzerland players and their manager claimed the World Cup referee favored Argentina; Manuel Akanji stated, "Every little thing was called against us. Every dive and every foul by the Argentinians went unpunished."

Murat Yakin, Switzerland's manager, stated, "The referee shouldn't have given the Argentinian a yellow card in that situation. The decision is baffling to me, there was no reason for it."

Yakin further claimed the intervention "destroyed" the game, adding, "There was definitely no reason to award that yellow card. I don’t understand it. It was a harmless situation."

He asserted the decision was "decisive for the entire outcome of the match," and criticized the rule itself, stating, "This is a rule that, in my opinion, has nothing to do with football. The fact they introduced such a rule is unnecessary. It is extremely hurtful."

Remo Freuler, a Switzerland midfielder, called the situation "a disaster," questioning, "I don’t understand how VAR can change a game with this situation. Just let the referee do his job."

Granit Xhaka echoed these sentiments, claiming the red card "killed the game" and that Switzerland would have beaten Argentina if they had played 11 versus 11.

These claims intensify existing World Cup 'fixing' conspiracy theories, which suggest Lionel Messi and Argentina receive favoritism from FIFA to win the trophy.

This marks not the first time such allegations have surfaced in this tournament; Mostafa Ziko, an Egypt winger, previously claimed, "This tournament has been fixed," following Egypt's loss to Argentina.

Hossam Hassan, Egypt's coach, also stated, "This match was rigged, and the whole world saw it," after their exit, prompting calls for a FIFA investigation.

The introduction of VAR aimed to eliminate clear and obvious errors; its application in high-stakes matches continues to generate significant controversy and public debate.

The 'mistaken identity' rule, designed to correct specific officiating errors, now stands at the center of a storm; prominent figures in the sport question its very existence.

Such incidents place immense pressure on FIFA and the officiating bodies to ensure transparency and consistency as the tournament progresses to its critical stages.

Argentina and Lionel Messi now play England in the semi-final; the shadow of these officiating controversies looms over the competition.

The World Cup final is scheduled to take place in New Jersey, a location hosting the culmination of a tournament marked by both sporting brilliance and contentious decisions.