What we're watching
• Argentina vs. England: Argentina scores a late second goal to take a shocking lead. It’s now 2-1 late in the second half of this World Cup semifinal in Atlanta. The Albiceleste have played quite a physical game, which England has matched. Both teams have picked up yellow cards — two for Argentina and one for England.
• Race for the Golden Boot: Lionel Messi, who is facing England for the first time in all of his 205 games for Argentina, has scored eight goals in the tournament so far, tying him with France’s Kylian Mbappé.
• Spain awaits in the final: The winner of today’s semifinal will meet La Roja, which beat France 2-0 yesterday to book their trip to MetLife Stadium on July 19.
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Enzo Fernández to the rescue for Argentina and it looks like it's over
Just when all seemed lost, Enzo Fernández saves Argentina in this building once again.
It was Fernández who scored the winner against Egypt and now the equalizer against England, a goal that had been coming given Argentina was poking and prodding then English defense ever since Anthony Gordon’s opener.
The stands are shaking once again here in the upper reaches of the stadium and the Argentine fans are back in full voice.
The waves of sound here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium have become a tsunami. And unfortunately for England, Argentina gets a second in injury time and it looks like this is over.
Shirts are flying, drinks are being tossed, it’s absolutely pandemonium.
Argentina’s second goal shockingly didn’t blow the roof off this place, but it came close. Barely anyone is sitting now as the Argentines shake the stadium with their celebrations.
Goal! England 1-2 Argentina
Has super sub Lautaro Martínez just won this for Argentina?
Play stops as Stones is being checked by medics
John Stones is down in the England box and is being attended to by the medical team. It looked like he was involved in a collision with Jordan Pickford, but it is unclear what is happening.
He’s back up and has to run off the pitch for a bit he was down for a while, but he’s back on.
Goal! England 1-1 Argentina
An Enzo Fernández thunderbolt has us level!
Cometh the hour, cometh the man - It’s not the Messi man but the Chelsea man.
He’s arguably scored his country’s most important goal of the tournament - A rasping, sweetly struck strike from 20-yards out past a raft of bodies that left England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with no chance.
Pick that one out!
England being saved by heroic defense
This is some heroic defending from England, much like it did against Mexico in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca when it was down to 10 men.
Jordan Pickford is having an incredible game and saving the Three Lions, but England is also playing with fire. This feels a little too close for comfort, so if you’re an England fan, you must surely hope the team starts holding onto the ball a bit more rather than hoofing it out at any chance.
Question is though: Is this Egypt-Argentina or Mexico-England?
Did the fans need the hydration break more than the players?
The hydration break was more important in the Atlanta fan zone, where the heat and humidity are turned up.
There is a 15,000-capacity crowd here in downtown Atlanta, and we are indeed at capacity. There are a large number of Argentine fans here in the fan zone.
Let’s see if another comeback is in the cards!
Editor note: Let the record show Jen called it
Argentina fans starting to get nervous
The Argentines can’t take much more of this.
Three near misses in a few minutes have them singing louder, but the exasperated faces up here in the 300 level don’t look encouraged. Rather than feeling like the equalizer is coming, they seem to be questioning whether this is their day.
The pressure is only ramping up, but England withstood a similar siege in more hostile territory, having defeated Mexico in the Estadio Azteca earlier this month.
It’s going to be a torturous period for the fans in blue and white.
Every England fan is screaming at the television
The problem is, Argentina has looked close to scoring about three times since it decided to do so.
I can assure you that every England fan around the world is screaming for that defensive line to get up the pitch. It was in control of this game before scoring and now seems to be hanging on.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is torture to watch.
Argentina hits the post!
Lionel Scaloni has rolled the dice by shuffling his pack as Argentina goes in search of an equalizer in normal time.
On come Nicolás Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul and Gonzalo Montiel for Lisandro Martínez, Nahuel Molina and Giuliano Simeone.
And it almost pays immediate dividends.
A wonderful delivery into the box from De Paul is met by Alexis Mac Allister but his header comes off the post.
Jordan Pickford was nowhere near it. England breathes a huge sigh of relief. Argentina is growing into this game.
Even "Mr. Brightside" can't cut the tension in Atlanta
It’s hard to feel like England can keep Argentina out for the remainder of this match.
Lionel Messi and his team are starting to tighten their grip on the match, and the noise here is growing increasingly desperate. Of course, they have been here before both figuratively and literally – this is the ground they pulled off that majestic escape against Egypt in the Round of 16.
If you want proof that the first goal has increased the tension rather than released it, basically no one is singing The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” aside from a few pockets in the England end.
Do you know nervous you have to be to not sing that song? It’s telling.
Hydration break the perfect tonic for English pubs
The hydration breaks aren’t just for the players with England fans flocking to bars up and down the country to freshen up their pint glasses.
This is a welcome addition to the game for the many venues hosting World Cup watch parties.
The British Beer and Pub Association says this could be the biggest night of the tournament, with six million extra pints expected to be poured!
Anthony Gordon’s goal has no doubt sent a whole host of those pints into the air as England fans celebrated in beer gardens up and down the country.
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Will Argentina stick or twist?
There’s no doubt that England’s goal has spurred Argentina and Lionel Messi into life.
La Albiceleste has noticeably upped the tempo and is largely camped inside the England half as Thomas Tuchel’s side sits deeper and deeper back but still remains firmly resolute in defense.
Lionel Scaloni has played his first card with Nicolás González replacing Leandro Paredes.
González moves to the left-hand side with Enzo Fernández taking up his customary central midfielder position.
You get the feeling this upcoming hydration break could make or break Scaloni’s side in this second half.
The second hydration break comes as Argentina needs to regroup
I’m here in a west London pub with the teams getting a water break in Atlanta as Argentina will need to comeback from yet another deficit to save their chances at a second consecutive World Cup final.
Argentina’s Guiliano Simeone had an incredible opportunity before getting denied cleanly by Djed Spence. Jordan Pickford also had an excellent save on a header just before the break.
Absolutely incredible save from Pickford saves England
Wow. That was an incredible save from England keeper Jordan Pickford to save the Europeans.
The Spirit of Sapporo is needed from England
Back in 2002, a David Beckham penalty gave England a crucial group stage victory over Argentina. It was a backs to the wall rearguard action from England that day with a late block from goalkeeper David Seaman literally saving the day.
The signs are already ominous 24 years on, as Argentina has finally — finally! — shown up and England are up against it.
With Beckham looking down from the fancy seats today, the current crop needs to channel the spirit of Sapporo as the same scoreline will put them in Sunday’s World Cup final.
England parking the bus
In a somewhat odd decision, England has decided to play in a low block rather than being a bit more proactive and chase a match-killing second goal.
Argentina is playing with renewed vigor and you get the sense that an equalizer is more likely than not if the Three Lions keep this up.
England has had some heroic defending this tournament but playing roulette this much could turn out badly.
Just as I say that England has a good sequence where they force a save out of Emi Martínez and then Harry Kane shoots again from distance, but it comes to nothing.
London erupts after the opening goal and THAT tackle
I’ll let you in on a secret. While many of my colleagues are in Atlanta for the game, I’m writing this from London.
And let me tell you, the city (or at least my road) just erupted with that Anthony Gordon goal.
It’s a boiling hot summer in England and everyone has their windows wide open. It means you could hear the sounds of celebration blaring out of almost every house.
Every bar, restaurant, even corner shop, has screens up showing this game and there were was an outpouring of pure ecstasy when the ball nestled into the corner of the net.
The sound was almost as loud when the brilliant Djed Spence flew in with that goal-denying tackle moments later.
I shouted so loud that my partner just rushed in to see if I was okay. I’m not really sure I am…
England has sat back since taking the lead and that’s probably not a great idea. Argentina and Lionel Messi are now dominating things. There is still so much time to go and England surely won’t be able to keep them out like this for long.
Simeone denied by last-gasp Spence tackle
There’s still a long way to go in this game but will England’s goal now bring about a response from Argentina?
If the immediate response is anything to go by then yes.
A long ball over the top from Lionel Messi sends Guiliano Simeone through on goal but he’s denied at the last second by a superb diving tackle from Djed Spence in the penalty box.
The England defender timed it to perfection and celebrates like he’s just scored a goal for England!
English fans are finally flourishing
And there are the English.
After being out-sung and out-chanted for most of this match, the stands have just exploded into life as England strikes against the run of play.
The Argentine fans were are not happy, especially one drunk fan standing in the media section of the stands here. He spent the last few minutes arguing with journalists who begged him to sit and then he was moved just before the goal. He remains standing and arguing a few rows lower now.
Drama on and off the pitch!
