3-3! Tottenham's Porro levels proceedings with Chelsea in World Cup semis... but can Rice finally open Gunners account as England bid to end 60-year drought?

Photo by Alessandro Schiavone

By Alessandro Schiavone

While Spain reached the final of the FIFA World Cup courtesy of a convincing 2-0 win over France in Dallas yesterday, one particular detail may have been lost on Tottenham Hotspur fans: Pedro Porro's strike pulled their club level with Chelsea on three goals in World Cup semifinals.

Up until yesterday’s clash between the neighbouring countries, the Blues were 3-2 ahead in these London charts thanks to Oscar (1) and Schurrle (2) who both netted in the infamous 7-1 Mineiraço in 2014. Either side of that then-Spurs superstar Gary Lineker became the FIRST  player plying his trade in the British capital to get off the mark at the semi-final stage in the Gazza Tears Game in Turin 36 years ago. You have to go back eight years to find the last player on the books of a London club to have scored in the penultimate round of the biggest showpiece on earth when Trippier curled a stunning free-kick past Subasic. Nobody from Fulham, QPR, Crystal Palace, Brentford and even West Ham, well represented in 1966, has ever found the back of the net at this stage. Neither at Arsenal.

However history could be rewritten tonight if Argentina’s Christian Romero adds to his goal against Egypt against the Three Lions. Or if teammate and Chelsea wantaway midfielder Enzo Fernandez makes a stronger case for Real Madrid to break the bank for him with another vital goal after sinking Salah’s side last week.

Goals by defenders Trevor Chalobah, Reece James or Djed Spence at this level would be met with quizzical looks by most yet if Trippier did it in Russia why shouldn’t they? Yet it’s more likely that Arsenal finally break their duck in a World Cup semifinal as England are littered with the class, power and pace of Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka in attack.

Fit-again Declan Rice may not be famous for hitting the onion bag but after his pair of stunning free-kicks against Real Madrid you can't rule him out of doing the damage in another high-stakes clash against los argentinos.

Without wanting to be the killjoy or spill the beans… but given what is at stake, fans of both Tottenham and Chelsea persuasion would unanimously take it if ‘Dec’ or one of his fellow Gunners Prem champs were to inflict terminal damage to La Albiceleste and end Messi’s World Cup dream. And leave it at 3-3 until 2030...