Argentina vs Colombia Highlights & Report 06 July 2021
Tournament: Copa America. View the video at the end of the article
Argentina vs Colombia Highlights
Martinez L.(Messi L.), Argentina
Goal Lautaro Martinez (Argentina)! Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) was put through by Lionel Messi and he showed brilliant composure inside the box to fire into the bottom left corner. 1:0.
A cross from the corner kick arrives close to the penalty spot. Yerry Mina (Colombia) outjumps the defence, but his promising header bounces away off the bar!
Lionel Messi (Argentina) is clearly asking for some medical attention with his painful gestures. The extent of his injury is yet to be discovered.
Diaz L.(Cardona E.), Colombia
Luis Diaz (Colombia) receives a well-taken defence-splitting low pass inside the box and scores! His great effort makes its way into the right side of the goal.
Gonzalo Ariel Montiel (Argentina) is booked after bringing down an opponent. Jesus Valenzuela had an easy-decision to make.
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) misses a good chance to score. An inch-perfect cross into the box finds Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) who rises for a header, but sends the ball well over the bar.
Jesus Valenzuela shows a yellow card to Edwin Cardona (Colombia) for his blatant foul
Martinez L.(Penalty), Argentina
Goal! Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) takes just a short run up and buries the penalty into the top left corner.
There will be no more penalty kicks because the winner of this match has been decided.
Argentina vs Colombia Report 06 July 2021
Emi the hero as Argentina edge Colombia in shootout.
Argentina, who are now unbeaten in 19 games, knocked out Colombia on penalties to set up a mouth-watering final against holders Brazil, and will hope to end a 28-year trophy drought. Played at Brazil’s colossal Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, a tense, physical affair was decided by goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez’ heroics after saving three of the four Colombian penalties.
Argentina started the game furiously and it took only three minutes for the mercurial Lionel Messi to warn his opponents, beating three men before whipping in a cross that Lautaro Martínez headed wide. Martínez would not be denied minutes later though, when Messi expertly turned a defender in the box, rolling the ball off for the forward to smash home.
Colombian midfielder Juan Cuadrado then forced Emiliano Martínez into a smart save just seconds later, before the half descended into a slow-paced, stop-start affair in which both sides struggled for rhythm. Although ‘Los Cafeteros’ will feel extremely unfortunate not to have levelled the tie on 37 minutes, after striking the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds.
They did find their goal in the 61st minute. Catching the Argentine defence napping with a quick freekick, which Luis Díaz sensationally finished, flicking the ball over the oncoming goalkeeper from an almost unbelievably tight angle. Later, Martínez inexplicably fluffed his lines when presented with an open goal, striking his effort against the onrushing defender. Messi then smashed the post 10 minutes before time but couldn’t prevent the game going to a shootout.
However, Emiliano Martínez became the unlikely hero, pulling off a string of fantastic penalty saves to ensure his side’s appearance in the cup final. Tantalisingly, Argentina last lost a game in 2019, in a Copa América semi-final against Brazil, providing them with an added incentive to beat their rivals and claim cup glory ahead of Sunday’s final.
Photos: AFP