They say there are goalkeepers who win matches and other championships. Precisely with that intimidating personality, perhaps even sometimes shocking and arrogant, The truth is that Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez, He once again demonstrated that he is perhaps the piston that always gets Argentina out of trouble, like tonight when he put the albiceleste team in in the semifinals of the 2024 Copa América.
Without a doubt, Emiliano Martínez was the determining factor, who first saved international star Lionel Messi from total embarrassment, who after missing the first penalty Against the Ecuadorians, he watched and applauded as his teammate between the three posts of the Albiceleste stopped the shots of Ángel Mena and Alan Minda, to advance to the semi-finals with a 4-2 victory, after the agonizing 1-1 draw in the 90 minutes.
Because the so-called “Dibu”, a goalkeeper who burst onto the scene with great success in the last World Cup in Qatar 2022, propelling the Argentine team to its first world title Under the era of international star Lionel Messi, this evening at Houston’s NRG Stadium, he pulled the rug out from under the Argentines when it seemed they were falling apart.
Just as he did against the French on Arab lands, now miles away on American soil, the “Dibu” put on the hero’s cape to lead the Albiceleste team to the semifinals of the 2024 Copa América by beating the brave Ecuador team 4-2 on penalties, who suffered a dear defeat at the NRG stadium in Houston and who were close to making a historic splash in the Copa América with what would have been their first victory in this competition over the Argentines.
The match
In the 90 minutes, Ecuador, unlike the game against Mexico where it came with the idea of playing conservatively, now changed its mentality to make Argentina uncomfortable. in the first minutes with passes behind his defenders for the speed of Jeremy Sarmiento and the mobility of captain Enner Valencia.
It seemed that Argentina had left its ideas in the locker room, as the Ecuadorians created danger around the 14th minute. where Jeremy Sarmiento challenged goalkeeper Martínez and in the same play Kendry Páez deflected a shot over the goal.
Ecuador was brave and kept the Argentines at bay, as Angelo Preciado then wasted a header in front of goal after a Valencia cross from the right side. However, Argentina is Argentina and little by little it was returning to the game more for the illegal than for the legal and with that it began to take the reins of the actions.
This is how the first sign of the Albiceleste came, at 26 minutes, with a header from Enzo Fernández, which went just wide, after a good play between Lionel Messi and Nahuel Molina. This action motivated the powerful Argentines to open the scoring in the 35th minute through Lisandro Martínez in a set-piece play that only had to be pushed into the net after Alexis Mac Allister’s extension at the near post.
Ecuador never gave up
For the second half, Ecuador did not give up and at minute 62 they generated a clear goal-scoring opportunity when midfielder Rodrigo De Paul committed a handball in the area that generated a penalty to open up the great range of opportunities for the Tri to tie the game. but Enner Valencia hit the post and Argentina maintained their lead.
But Ecuador had a lot of heart and in the final minutes of regular time, controlled the ball more and added five forwards from the bench to look for the equaliser was achieved in the 91st minute with a header from substitute Kevin Rodríguez that led to penalties.
Ecuador’s bravery was about to be justly rewarded when, seven minutes into added time, Jordy Caicedo scored with a header. in the area, but his shot went wide and with that Argentina breathed a sigh of relief.
The show in the “Dibu” Martínez penalties
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni gave the impression that he expected it to go to penalties, aware of the quality and coolness of goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, but he did not count on the fact that everything would be complicated by Lionel Messi’s initial mistake.
Maybe that made everyone in Argentina tremble, except for “Dibu” Martinez, who came to the fore with the shots stopped at Angel Mena and Alan Mindawhich allowed Argentina, with successful shots from Julián Álvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolás Otamendi, to score enough goals to take a 4-2 victory.
Especially since after the failures of Angel Mena and Minda, it was of no use that John Yeboah and Jordy Caicedo made good shots, Well, history was already written with the “Dibu” Martínez show.
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