Argentina didn’t play just like the 2024 Copa America champions tonight — they barely performed like winners of their quarterfinal match towards Ecuador. Regardless of the seemingly optimistic end result, Argentina are fortunate to flee with their 1-0 draw. They had been outdueled, outpassed, outmatched in depth, approach, and extra.
However, after all, it might be a typical Scaloni victory. A affected person buildup, dominant possession, and a compact protection. It helped them win the 2021 Copa America the 2022 World Cup, and doubtlessly, now the 2024 Copa America title.
Till it wasn’t. Kevin Rodriguez swooped in with one of many extra memorable strikes of the match, connecting with a John Yeboah cross and finessing his header simply sufficient to nestle it within the backside left nook. Ecuador pressured penalty kicks with minutes to spare and almost gained it with seconds left after a pair of harmful counter-attacks.
After which, it was once more. Emiliano Martinez confirmed up in penalties, as he at all times does. The Aston Villa stopper saves two of Ecuador’s 4 penalties, including in some salacious celebrations whereas he’s at it. Nicolas Otamendi dominantly closes out the shootout. He blasts his penalty into the highest left nook, wheeling off to have a good time with supporters in dominant trend. This — not the refereeing controversies, not the comically small pitches — that is Copa America.
Earlier than the sport, there was doubt that Argentina’s most vital piece of their Copa America repeat, Lionel Messi, would even present up. Messi missed Argentina’s 2-0 win over Peru on Saturday, and gaffer Lionel Scaloni marked the talismanic playmaker as day-to-day earlier than the beginning.
Nonetheless, a not-fully-fit Messi returned to the beginning eleven, together with an all-star roster of elite gamers. A lineup with the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Julián Alvarez, and Enzo Fernandez confronted an Ecuador squad tipped to make a deep run within the match. They’d had hassle with them in a June pleasant, narrowly profitable 1-0. After Ecuador dominated Jamaica and pissed off CONCACAF heavyweight Mexico, they regarded like an imposing workforce to face within the knockouts.
Argentina and Ecuador travel
Surprisingly, it was Ecuador who began the sport on the entrance foot. Brighton midfielder Jeremy Sarmiento received on the receiving finish of a Moises Caicedo by means of ball, with Sarmiento placing his eye on the aim. Sarmiento then side-stepped previous a dizzied Cristian Romero earlier than taking up keeper Emiliano Martinez. Nonetheless, Martinez smothered the ball to maintain the sport stage.
There was a sense that the half would finish in a aim as the sport received sooner, extra bodily, and noticed many probabilities. Kendry Paez and Angelo Preciado despatched two photographs in succession over the bar. Enzo Fernandez returned the favor after he noticed his counter-attacking shot heroically blocked by promising defender Willian Pacho. As gamers racked up playing cards, threw arms, pointed fingers, and shoved others, the half crescendoed in the direction of a fiery ending.
Argentina discovered its opener within the thirty fifth minute by means of a Messi set-piece. How attribute. Messi’s bending, inswinging nook met the top of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. Mac Allister tipped it simply sufficient to achieve a lurking Lisandro Martinez on the again publish, who simply tapped within the shot. The sport fully opened after, with a cynical Ecuador abruptly attacking with weapons blazing.
Regardless of Ecuador largely being the higher workforce, putting immediately due to their expertise on the wings, Argentina had the benefit. It didn’t seem like they might quit their hard-earned benefit any time quickly, even when they hadn’t put in a convincing efficiency.
However, abruptly, merely quarter-hour after halftime, the tide modified. A Caicedo in-swinger related with the top of Alan Franco, and Franco’s try rocketed into Rodrigo de Paul’s hand, conveniently stretched away from his physique as he turned to dam the shot. Unfortunate, nevertheless it was solely honest.
Regardless of the anger and bargaining from Martinez, the braided de Paul, and extra, the referee stood agency. The 34-year-old Enner Valencia, who had shocked the world solely two years in the past along with his performances on the World Cup, cocked his head, drew a powerful breath, and started his runup.
He strikes the ball, sends Martinez fully the mistaken manner, and misses.
He misses.
Even Martinez can’t consider it — he leaps up, checks the online, after which celebrates wildly in entrance of a rabid Argentine supporters’ part. Valencia appears to be like as much as some invisible energy, silently cursing it and rueing his poor luck.
All through the match, it surprisingly regarded like Ecuador, not Argentina, was the stronger workforce. Though Argentina did sit again, taking part in cynically and losing time, it appeared like Ecuador created extra probabilities on the evening. They regarded particularly stable on the suitable by means of Chelsea goal Paez and Preciado.
They threw numbers down the flanks, searching for to overload Argentina’s protection, creating pockets of area in all places. To an extent it labored. Though Ecuador discovered itself pissed off and unable to attain, most of their probabilities got here down the flanks.
It didn’t cease Ecuador from coming near equalizing a number of instances. Regardless of timewasting and contentious fouls, Ecuador troubled Martinez a number of instances. Ángel Mena and Jordy Caicedo didn’t take advantage of out of some stable alternatives. Ecuador circulated the ball superbly and created a number of probabilities, however lacked the ultimate product to complete their probabilities.
Then, once more, the unthinkable occurred. With one final likelihood in stoppage time to carry the sport stage and power a penalty shootout, After John Yeboah lofts a last-ditch cross into the field, Kevin Rodriguez powers by means of the 18, leaps into the air, and flicks an unimaginable header previous his marker. It beats Martinez, bouncing narrowly into the suitable nook.
Frenzied celebrations begin. Beers are thrown, darkish blue confetti is popped, and supervisor Néstor Lorenzo hops up and down earlier than embracing his backroom employees. After a prolonged VAR verify, officers rule every little thing is ok and the objectives are honest. After a chaotic three minutes of back-and-forth operating, the sport lastly reached penalties.
Thrilling shootout ends with Argentina on prime
First as much as the penalty spot was Lionel Messi, who had a muted evening and struggled to get entangled. Messi fooled keeper Alexander Dominguez with a intelligent Panenka, however his try sadly met the crossbar. It capped off a irritating evening.
Mena took his penalty subsequent, however Martinez got here up with an unimaginable save to maintain the shootout stage at 0-0. Alvarez scored the primary penalty of the shootout. Dominguez guessed the suitable manner, however Alvarez’s shot was too excessive and too large for him to achieve. Alvarez wheeled off in celebration, evidently relieved and optimistic.
After Alan Minda noticed his shot blocked — and a few Martinez hip thrusts — Mac Allister took his penalty. Dominguez guessed the mistaken manner, however even when he dove the suitable manner, MacAllister’s penalty was nonetheless spot-on. He tucks the ball proper within the backside proper nook. Chef’s kiss.
Colombia’s John Yeboah rocketed his shot to the highest proper nook, sending Martinez fully the mistaken manner. Nonetheless, Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel despatched Dominiguez the mistaken manner. He playfully celebrates, leaving Ecuador needing a aim, a save, and a aim within the subsequent three occasions.
After Jordy Caicedo narrowly beats out Martinez and converts his penalty, it’s Argentina veteran Nicolas Otamendi who steps up with the sport on the road. He stutters, drags his foot, and takes the penalty, neatly tucking it into the underside left nook. Dominiguez has no likelihood!
The Houston crowd yells louder than it did for Martinez along with his opener or Rodriguez along with his equalizer. Although Ecuador performed the higher match and was merely inches away from advancing, Argentina performed their typical type of play, saved their tempo, and loved the rewards.
After their win over Ecuador, Argentina will face both Venezuela or Canada within the semifinals. Ecuador will play their subsequent match in September, a World Cup qualifying match towards Brazil.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
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