Argentina suffered, but became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the Copa America-2024 by defeating Ecuador 4-2 on penalties.
“It seems to me that winning like this is not at all pleasant. Yes, we are happy, but the truth is that I didn’t like it. This time it wasn’t a joy that I can say I enjoyed,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni after the game.
Just like what happened in the quarter-finals and final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, against Holland and France, respectively, goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez was a huge player in the penalty shootout, defending shots from Angel Mena and Alan Minda and being the hero of Argentina’s qualification at the NRG Stadium, in Houston, Texas, packed with fans of the ‘Albiceleste’.
Argentina opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a header from Lizandro Martínez. But Ecuador, who did not deserve to lose and played by far their best match of the tournament, managed to equalize, also with a header, through Kevin Rodríguez, in injury time (90’+2).
‘La Tricolor’ also wasted a penalty in regular time, in the 61st minute, when Enner Valencia sent his shot into ‘Dibu’s’ right post.
Lionel Messi, who started after being left in doubt due to a thigh injury, missed the first penalty in the shootout, chipping the ball against Alexander Domínguez’s crossbar. The Ecuadorian goalkeeper made a gesture of solidarity and hugged the Argentine captain.
But the Aston Villa goalkeeper saved the Ecuadorians’ first two shots.
Julián Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolás Otamendi all converted theirs, while John Yeboah and Yordy Caicedo scored for Ecuador.
“We played against the toughest opponent and showed that the team can compete against everyone,” said Ecuador coach Félix Sánchez after the match.
The match in regulation time was very tight and ended 1-1, with an agonising Ecuadorian draw in injury time after Enner Valencia also missed a penalty in the 61st minute, with a shot that hit ‘Dibu”s right post and went wide.
Now the team led by coach Lionel Scaloni will face the winner of the duel between Venezuela and Canada, which will be played this Friday in Arlington, Texas, in the semifinals at Metlife Stadium, in New Jersey, on July 9.
The other two quarter-final matches of the Copa América-2024 will be played on Saturday.
James Rodríguez’s Colombia, with its 26-game unbeaten streak, will face Panama in Glendale (Arizona), starting at 7pm (Brasília time), and three hours later, in Las Vegas, it will be the classic between Brazil and Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, in the most anticipated match of the quarterfinals.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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