Lionel Messi stepped up to take Argentina\u2019s first penalty kick in a Copa America shootout against Ecuador, just like he did in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only this time, Messi hit the crossbar, jeopardizing a trip to the semifinals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was pretty upset,\u201d he said, \u201cbut at the same time I was secure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had confidence in goalkeeper Emiliano Mart\u00ednez, who saved Argentina\u2019s bid for a second straight Copa America title,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mart\u00ednez stopped shootout attempts by \u00c1ngel Mena and Alan Minda, and Argentina advanced to the Copa America semifinals with a 4-2 victory on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw Thursday night<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe know what Dibu is capable of, that he really thrives on those moments. He really enjoys them,\u201d Messi said about Mart\u00ednez, using the goalkeeper\u2019s nickname.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Argentina conceded a tying goal to Ecuador in second-half injury time but rebound and won the quarterfinal when Nicol\u00e1s Otamendi beat Alexander Dom\u00ednguez with the winning kick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t ready to go home,\u201d Mart\u00ednez said. \u201cThis team deserved to advance. They complicated us a lot. They played a great match, very physical. We knew they were one of the top rivals in Copa America.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeking its third straight major title, Argentina advanced to the semifinals for the fifth straight Copa America and will play Venezuela or Canada on Tuesday at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Argentina is looking to win a record 16th Copa America championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur goalkeeper came up clutch,\u201d Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Playing in front of a pro-Argentinian crowd of 69,456 at NRG Stadium, Lisandro Mart\u00ednez gave the Albiceleste a 35th-minute lead following Messi\u2019s corner kick. Ecuador\u2019s Enner Valencia put a penalty kick off a post in the 62nd minute after a hand ball by Rodrigo De Paul, but Kevin Rodr\u00edguez tied it in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Argentina going first in the shootout, Messi failed on his Panenka attempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mart\u00ednez, the goalkeeper in Argentina\u2019s 2022 World Cup final win, stopped Mena by diving to his left and batting the ball with his trailing hand. He denied Minda by leaping right, then followed the save with a short dance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez and Alexis Mac Allister converted to put Argentina ahead 2-0, and John Yeboah made Ecuador\u2019s third attempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gonzalo Montiel gave Argentina a 3-1 lead, Jordy Caicedo converted to keep Ecuador alive and Otamendi got the winner, tucking the ball inside the post just past the outstretched arm of Dom\u00ednguez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the victory, Scaloni said he \u201cdid not enjoy the win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have reached the semis, and given the great level of performance of every national team, I think it\u2019s a great achievement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lisandro Mart\u00ednez had put Argentina ahead in the 35th minute with a header after Mac Allister headed on Messi\u2019s corner kick. Rodr\u00edguez scored when he headed in John Yeboah\u2019s cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe quarterfinals had us playing against the most difficult opponent, and I thought we delivered well,\u201d Ecuador coach F\u00e9lix S\u00e1nchez Bas said through an interpreter. \u201cWe showed this team can compete against any opponent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Copa America regulations, the match went straight from the end of regulation to a shootout, without extra time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Messi, who sustained the injury on June 25 against Chile, missed Argentina\u2019s group-stage finale. He got a loud ovation when he entered the field 45 minutes before kickoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think he finished the match well,\u201d Scaloni said. \u201cWe asked him how he was feeling for the last time four minutes before the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Messi remained without a goal in three Copa games this year, but Argentina still managed to advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI finished well,\u201d he said. \u201cI didn\u2019t feel any pain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Source: AP<\/strong> Lionel Messi stepped up to take Argentina\u2019s first penalty kick in a Copa America shootout against Ecuador, just like he did in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France. Only this time, Messi hit the crossbar, jeopardizing a trip to the semifinals. \u201cI was pretty upset,\u201d he said, \u201cbut at the same time I…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,68],"tags":[537,538,163,250],"class_list":["post-6249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","category-international-football","tag-argentina","tag-emiliano-martinez","tag-football","tag-lionel-messi"],"yoast_head":"\n
–Agencies<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"