{"id":7601,"date":"2026-07-15T22:36:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T22:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7601"},"modified":"2026-07-15T22:36:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T22:36:36","slug":"englands-tuchel-easy-to-say-that-it-was-wrong-to-play-defensive-with-lead-vs-argentina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7601","title":{"rendered":"England’s Tuchel: ‘Easy to say that it was wrong’ to play defensive with lead vs Argentina"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
England head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts on the touchline during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Stephanie Scarbrough)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

ATLANTA \u2014 England desperately wanted to protect its lead as time was winding down in the World Cup<\/a> semifinals. Coach Thomas Tuchel made lineup and strategy changes to build a wall in front of goal.<\/p>

Read more SMU launches a Heisman push for Kevin Jennings and is putting QB\u2019s name on a new recovery center<\/a><\/p>\n

Argentina and Lionel Messi<\/a> simply kicked it down.<\/p>\n

England led 1-0 late in the second half before Messi assisted on goals by Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the second minute of injury time to give Argentina a wild 2-1 victory<\/a> Wednesday and a spot in the World Cup final<\/a> against Spain.<\/p>\n

Tuchel\u2019s tactical choices in one of the biggest matchups in one of soccer\u2019s biggest rivalries will likely be scrutinized and criticized for years. England missed its chance to return to the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey won every header. They kept crossing and crossing. So we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be stronger in the air,\u201d Tuchel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cStraight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances. So we tried to help,\u201d Tuchel said. \u201cBut of course the responsibility is on the coach. And \u2026 if it doesn\u2019t go well, it\u2019s easy to say that it was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tuchel\u2019s chess moves just couldn\u2019t contain Messi, the maestro of Argentina\u2019s attacks.<\/p>\n

England\u2019s loss marked only the second time this century that the team that scored first in a World Cup semifinal match did not reach the final, according to Opta. The other team was also England in 2018 against Croatia.<\/p>\n

England took the lead on Anthony Gordon\u2019s goal in the 55th minute. But Argentina quickly switched the momentum with furious pressure on England\u2019s defense.<\/p>

Read more The Latest: Messi rallies Argentina in 2-1 win over England in World Cup semifinal<\/a><\/p>\n

To protect the lead, England drew closer and closer to its own goal, hoping to build the sort of impenetrable wall it had when it held on to beat Mexico in the round of 16 despite being down to 10 players.<\/p>\n

Tuchel swapped defender Reece James for Dan Burn, and midfielder Declan Rice for defender Nico O\u2019Reilly in the 82nd minute.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played a good game for the large majority of it. Once we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try and hold on, which at this level is not enough,\u201d England striker Harry Kane said. \u201cJust gutted, gutted. Because we\u2019ve worked so hard to get here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fernandez struck barely three minutes after the England substitutions, scoring on a precision right-footed strike from just outside the penalty area. Messi set up the play with a pass to his teammate\u2019s feet and England defenders failed to close him down before he ripped the shot that curled past diving goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.<\/p>\n

Argentina kept coming and England\u2019s wall kept crumbling. The defending champions hit the crossbar and missed another header across the mouth of the goal before Martinez finally sealed it with a powerful close-range header when England defenders lost him on a cross from Messi.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey got tired,\u201d Martinez said. \u201cThey pressed for 60 minutes and then just ran out of steam. They got their goal and then sat back. That gave us more composure to move the ball around and stretch the pitch.\u201d<\/p>

Read more House vote exposes Democrats\u2019 widening divide over Israel<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

See more of AP\u2019s World Cup coverage here<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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