In their second Copa America 2024 group match against Chile on Wednesday, Lautaro Martinez’s late goal ensured that the defending champions took home all three points. Following victories over Chile and Canada, La Albiceleste became the first team to advance to the knockout stage.

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The former Barcelona player remarked to reporters following the match: “I started the game with some soreness in my right hamstring. It was close. Not as loose as it ought to have been. However, I managed to complete the game. We’ll observe the outcome.Scaloni may decide to rest his captain for Argentina’s last group match against Peru on Saturday, because the team has already guaranteed a berth in the quarterfinals. “The guys who didn’t get minutes in these matches (Canada and Chile) will play against Peru,” the manager stated at the news conference following the game.

Martinez shines against Chile as Argentina progresses to the Copa America quarterfinals

The ball bounced in front of the net after a wild scramble that resulted in the breakthrough, and Lionel Messi and the reigning champion Argentina moved to the Copa America quarterfinals after nearly ninety minutes of complete dominance.

With one minute remaining in the game, Lautaro Martínez scored the final goal of a string of rebounds in the 88th minute, sending the Albiceleste past Chile 1-0 and guaranteed a trip to the quarterfinals.

“I was able to convert the ball that ended up right at me,” said Martínez, who also scored the second goal in the opening 2-0 victory over Canada last week.

Defensor Lisandro Martínez glanced back to head a corner ball that Messi headed toward goal, setting up the score. When the ball fell in front of goalie Claudio Bravo, Giovani Lo Celso of Argentina and Nicolás Fernández of Chile were wrestling. Lo Celso kicked the ball off Bravo, and Igor Lichnovsky of Chile tried to flick it wide after it rebounded.

Argentina’s 21st shot was beautifully one-timed into the roof of the net by Lautaro Martínez, who entered in the 73rd. After three minutes, the players stood and waited for a video review to affirm Martínez’s 26th goal for his country.

“We were worthy winners. Lionel Scaloni, the Argentina coach, stated that the contest was difficult. “We pulled off a victory when nobody was expecting it.”

Group A is led by Argentina with six points, Chile and Peru with one apiece, and Canada with three. On Saturday, Canada takes on Chile in Orlando, Florida, while the Albiceleste wrap up their first-round match against Peru at Miami Gardens, Florida.

A day after turning 37, Messi often showed off his ability to twirl around and slalom past opponents in front of an enthralled sellout audience of 81,106 at MetLife Stadium, the location of the 2026 World Cup final. Argentina had a 22-3 shot advantage and an 11-0 advantage in corner kicks. It was not until the 72nd minute that Chile made its first attempt.

In the 36th minute, Messi went closest to scoring before Martínez did with a 30-yard attempt that shaved off Bravo’s left post. After Messi was kicked by Gabriel Suazo in the 24th, he was treated for over two minutes in the thigh region of his right leg.

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Argentina had a 17-0 lead over Chile before Emiliano Martínez stopped Rodrigo Echeverría’s 72nd-minute effort after a turnover. The ball had deflected off Alexis Mac Allister. In the 76th minute, the goalkeeper diverted another Echeverría effort that had bounced off defender Cristian Romero’s toe with his right hand.

“In every match, I have to save one or two. And I’m fortunate to continue doing it,” Martínez remarked.

The teams met up again in the same arena, where Chile defeated Argentina in the 2016 Copa America final in penalty kicks, on the 46th anniversary of Argentina’s first World Cup victory. Messi announced his retirement from international competition following that loss, but he changed his mind seven weeks later.

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A grass field, planted behind one goal at a stadium where artificial turf is usually used, had a few little brown patches behind it. The building was planned to provide a broader field for the World Cup, but the surface was narrow.

Bravo made his 150th international appearance with eight saves, becoming him the oldest player in Copa America history at 41. As they led their sides onto the field for the national anthems, he and Messi, the former Barcelona teammates, conversed with one another.

Bravo remarked, “Losing this way leaves a bitter taste.” “We faced off against an incredible opponent.”