 "Argentina's Angel Di Maria celebrates after Lautaro Martinez scores the winner for Argentina in the Copa America final against Colombia. AP")
Argentina won their second successive Copa America title on Monday after they defeated Colombia 1-0 in the 2024 final. Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the match, in the second half of the extra time after the game ended in a goalless draw in normal time.
After scoring the first goal of the match in the 112th minute which later proved to be the winner, Martinez ran to the bench to hug his captain Lionel Messi. The star footballer was forced to leave the field of play in the 66th minute after suffering a non-contact injury two minutes before his substitution. Messi injured his ankle after running and falling and had to be replaced by Nicolas Gonzalez with the scores tied.
The game ended goalless in normal time but Martinez clinched the winner in the second half of the extra time after entering the field of play in the 97th minute. In the 112th minute, Giovani Lo Celso’s perfect through pass found Martinez just outside the box and the striker sent his right-foot shot past the goalkeeper Camilo Vargas for his 29th international goal, his tournament-high fifth.
The winner also brought an end to Colombia’s 28-game unbeaten streak that started after a February 2022 loss to the Albiceleste.
This is Argentina’s third straight major title win following the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup victories. They have also matched Spain who won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships along with the 2010 World Cup.
Overall, this is Argentina’s 16th Copa America title win, the most in history. Before the 2024 tournament, they were tired on 15 with Uruguay.
Colombia start positively
The mega final at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami was delayed by over 75 minutes due to a clash between the fans and security. The chaos also led to multiple fans needing medical treatment as questions were raised over the USA’s capability to host major football tournaments.
The Uruguay vs Colombia semi-finals also witnessed a mass brawl between Uruguayan players and Colombian fans.
The organisers on Monday said that unticketed fans trying to enter the stadium caused the chaos.
Nonetheless, after a delayed start, it was Colombia who started brightly and forced Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to make four saves in the first half. But Argentina started to take control of the match in the second half despite losing Messi.
The Argentina football legend who was most likely making his final Copa America appearance at 37 was in tears due to being subbed out after seemingly suffering an ankle injury. He looked at the bench immediately after taking a tumble, fully aware that his Copa America was over. He had suffered a blow to his right leg in the first half as well and was reduced to tears after leaving the field of play.
Argentina, meanwhile, kept trying to score. Nicolas Tagliafico scored in the 75th minute but was ruled offside. A Gonzalez effort was saved by Vargas in the 95th minute before Martinez finally found the back of the net late in the game.