Goalless at the break: England-Argentina locked in a foul-fest

England and Argentina went into the interval level at 0-0 in the World Cup's second semifinal. The clash in Atlanta stood out as much for its foul count as for the tension on the pitch: the two sides combined for 14 fouls in the first 35 minutes without registering a single shot — a stark illustration of just how physical and tense the match had become.

A symbolic detail also caught the eye: Argentina deliberately wore the dark blue away kit they donned for the "Hand of God" goal in 1986 and the penalty-shootout quarterfinal win in 1998. England head coach Thomas Tuchel took the move in his stride at his press conference, saying: "If there's any superstition tied to it, I would have done the same."

The match's tensest moments came in quick succession. Lisandro Martínez was booked for holding back Lionel Messi in midfield; shortly after, Elliot Anderson was also cautioned for a challenge on Messi, with almost every Argentine player surrounding the referee in protest afterward. Enzo Fernández came close twice: first with a placed effort off a Messi pass, then with a long-range strike that flew just wide of the post — one of the tournament's closest scoreless moments.

England had their own chances too. From a Declan Rice corner, John Stones' header rippled the side netting without troubling Emiliano Martínez. Standing out as England's most effective player on the pitch despite the risk of a second yellow, Elliot Anderson could present Thomas Tuchel with a difficult decision for the second half. With the winner set to face Spain, who booked their place in Sunday's final with a 2-0 win over France yesterday, the second half will show whether this scoreless tension finally breaks.

Image: BBC Sport