New Delhi: Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez turned out to be the hero in the crucial quarter-final clash against Ecuador at the Copa America 2024 on Thursday. With the narrow win that saw a penalty shootout, they have booked themselves a semi-final spot in a game that saw very little of Lionel Messi. Martinez saved two penalties and Messi’s blushes in the game to reiterate why he is one of the best goalies in the world.
Repeating his FIFA World Cup final heroics at the NRG Stadium in Texas, Martinez blocked the first two penalties while conceding the further two but the Argentina strikers had already done it until then. As the game began, a header from Lisandro Martinez put world champions Argentina 1-0 up ten minutes before half-time.
They went well with the defense till 90 minutes but conceded a header from Kevin Rodriguez to bring it to levels in the stoppage time (91st minute) and sent the 69,456 fans at the NRG into a frenzy. The game headed into a penalty shootout as Argentina’s attempts to gain the lead were thwarted in the stoppage time.
Messi misses, Martinez saves
Messi took the first penalty for Argentina and hit the bar as the Argentine fans lowered their voices which went all the way after Martinez made two brilliant saves, recovering the team to win the shoot-out 4-2 and progress into the semis where they will face the winner of Friday’s match between Venezuela and Canada.
Watch the full penalty shootout here –
Relive the Penalty(4-2) Shootout!
Argentina 1-1 Ecuador. pic.twitter.com/mpw3NY7P7M
— FPL_Medusa (@Mahbub_Haq1002) July 5, 2024
He pulled off superb diving saves to prevent Angel Mena and Alan Minda from entering the net and get his team in front before the likes of Julian Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel, and Nicolas Otamendi slotted home in succession to get the lead and win the game.
Martinez had notably saved three spot-kicks in a 3–2 penalty shootout win for Argentina against Colombia in the semi-final of the 2021 Copa America and famously saved two in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final win against France in Qatar.
After a thrilling stoppage time equaliser from Ecuador, Argentina came from behind in the penalty shootout as Emiliano Martinez took centerstage with yet another heroic to help his side put through to the Copa America semi-finals. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
