After whole game domination, defending champion Argentina advanced to copa America quarterfinal. Lautaro martinez scored of the last 88 minute and secured against Chile on Tuesday (25 June) .
“We deserved the win. It was not an easy match,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “We managed to win at the moment least expected.”
“The ball ended up right at me and I was able to convert it,” said Martínez, who scored the second goal in last week’s opening 2-0 win over Canada.
Messi started the leadup to the goal with a corner kick that was sent toward goal with a glancing header by defender Lisandro Martínez. The ball landed in front of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, where Argentina’s Giovani Lo Celso and Chile’s Nicolás Fernández were wrestling. Lo Celso kicked the ball off Bravo and it rebounded to Chile’s Igor Lichnovsky, who tried to poke it wide.
Argentina leads Group A with six points, followed by Canada with three, and Chile and Peru with one each. The Albiceleste finish the first round against Peru at Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, when Canada meets Chile in Orlando, Florida.
Playing a day after his 37th birthday, Messi frequently flaunted his talent to spin around and slalom through defenders before an adoring sellout crowd of 81,106 at MetLife Stadium, site of the 2026 World Cup final. Argentina dominated 22-3 in shots and 11-0 in corner kicks. Chile didn’t take its first attempt until the 72nd minute.
Messenger/Sourov
