Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni saluted his team's relentless spirit after they staged another dramatic comeback to defeat England 2-1 and book their place in the FIFA World Cup final.

Speaking after the semifinal in Atlanta, Scaloni revealed that his side sensed blood when England retreated after taking an early lead. "There was blood in the water, and we went for it. That's the feeling that I was getting," he said.

Argentina hit the crossbar and the post multiple times before finally breaking through to secure a deserved victory. "You just have to keep going. We hit the crossbar. We hit the post, and it just couldn't go in. There's six or seven chances, but I'm very pleased about that, because the team fought to the very end," Scaloni added.

This marks the second time in the knockout stages that Argentina have won from a losing position, following their remarkable last-16 escape against Egypt, which Scaloni had described as "epic". Asked to characterize Wednesday's win, he quipped: "Epic squared?"

The victory sets up a final showdown against European champions Spain in New Jersey on Sunday. Scaloni emphasized the collective effort: "This group is difficult to explain. It is a show of the collectiveness, the brotherhood that we are in, the fight to the very end that we have."

Scaloni, who has the chance to lead Argentina to a fourth consecutive major title after Copa America triumphs either side of the 2022 World Cup, praised his players' fearlessness. "I know the guys. They fear nothing. They don't feel the weight on their shoulders. They're playing like they're seven or eight years old," he said.

Source: www.aljazeera.com