Harry Kane has conceded that England's attempt to protect a one-goal advantage cost them a place in the World Cup final, after Argentina produced a breathtaking late comeback to win their semi-final 2-1 in Atlanta.

Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute, but Thomas Tuchel's side grew increasingly passive as the match wore on. Lionel Messi pulled the strings as Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez settled the tie with a stoppage-time winner, sending Argentina through to a final against Spain.

Kane's frustration

"I'm gutted," Kane said after the full-time whistle. "We 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 just not enough."

The England captain acknowledged that the dressing room message had been to push for a second goal, but admitted the team struggled to keep the ball and relieve pressure. "It was just wave after wave," he said. "The lads were putting blocks in but in the end it was not enough."

Kane reflected on England's broader tournament, drawing some consolation from their run to the last four. "We've had a lot of good moments. We're close. We just need to find that missing piece," he said.

Tuchel's defence of his decisions

Manager Thomas Tuchel admitted his side became "too passive" after scoring but refused to express regret over his tactical approach. "We changed nothing structurally, but the match changed completely," he said. "We couldn't win any balls, we couldn't keep the ball. No regrets — the team gave everything."

Tuchel pushed back against criticism of his substitutions, insisting that the problem was not the system. However, the decision to shift to a back five in the 71st minute drew sharp criticism from several pundits.

Pundits point the finger

Sky Sports' Gary Neville suggested England had squandered their greatest opportunity in years. "England will never have a better chance to reach a final than that," he said. "It's about mentality and belief, and a bit of quality to keep the ball."

Wayne Rooney was more direct in his assessment. "The decisions Thomas Tuchel made have cost England," he said. "If you're an attacking player on that pitch and you go 1-0 up and you see the changes the manager's making, you're losing belief."

Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett, reporting from Atlanta, argued the defeat was largely self-inflicted. "The man the FA employed because of his brilliant tactical nous in knockout games has to hold his hands up," Dorsett wrote. "England can have no complaints. The better side won — but there's an awful feeling this was to a large degree self-inflicted."

Sky Sports' Ron Walker noted that England failed to register a single touch in Argentina's penalty area after Gordon's goal, and that Tuchel's side surrendered almost 93 percent of possession in the 21 minutes between switching to a back five and conceding the winner.

Argentina, who scored twice in the space of seven minutes, will now face Spain in the World Cup final.