Argentina stuns England 2-1 in World Cup semi-final: Stoppage-time horror for holders.

For a fleeting moment, England probably thought they were headed to their first World Cup final since 1966. Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute finish had them in control against Argentina in the semi-final. Then came the unraveling. A full-blown, catastrophic collapse in the dying stages. Enzo Fernandez hammered home a sensational equalizer in the 85th minute. Not enough pain? Lautaro Martinez twisted the knife deeper, his 92nd-minute header sealing a comeback no one saw coming. Or maybe, everyone did.

So, how did it happen? Blame Thomas Tuchel. With five minutes left, holding a flimsy one-goal lead, he decided a defensive setup was the way to go. Disaster. Pure, unadulterated disaster. Sky Sports called it. That tactical blunder didn't just invite pressure; it gift-wrapped momentum for Argentina. They pressed. They pushed. Lionel Messi, naturally, was pulling the strings, orchestrating the entire comeback and then, because he's Lionel Messi, serving up the assist for Martinez's winner.

And it could have been worse. Much worse. Argentina clipped the post not once, but twice, during that frantic, utterly breathless closing period. England's collapse wasn't a masterclass by the opposition; it was self-inflicted. Tuchel, abandoning the very approach that put them ahead, deserved every bit of criticism. He handed Argentina the initiative on a silver platter. All the holders had to do was hold on. They couldn't.

Argentina now gets their shot at glory, facing Spain in the final on Sunday in New Jersey. As for England? They're off to the consolation prize match, playing France in the third-place play-off on Saturday in Miami. Some prize.